A Turn to the Past
by Tallis Mikaelson-Winchester
Summary: Céleste Géroux is the last hope to the future of the Wizarding World. With the help of Professor McGonagall, she travels back in time to before it began and has some unexpected results along the way.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Our only hope was dead. Harry had been killed by Voldemort. Ron was brought down by Fenrir Greyback and Hermione perished in a duel with Bellatrix Lestrange. She held her own along with Ginny and Luna for as long as they could. There were only a few survivors left, including Professor McGonagall. We were barricaded in the Great Hall. "Take this." She hands me a strange looking object. "You are our last hope for the future. Turn the dial once and it will take you back to before it all began. Make sure that the same mistakes aren't made in the past." I nod. "Now, go." I turn the dial once and everything begins to get blurry, and I pass out.

I feel myself begin to come to conscious. "Thank you for bringing her here. Mr. Riddle." I hear a female voice say. "She could have died from the cold out there. To think, wearing these odd and flimsy clothes out in the cold."

"I was just doing my rounds, Madam Causer." A silky-smooth male voice replies, and I open my eyes, and squint at the bright light.

"Can you turn that down?" The light dims, and my vision starts to come back. "Thank you. So, why am I here?"

"Mr. Riddle, over here, found you outside by the Great Hall." Madam Causer explains. "Do you know who you are?" I look at Tom briefly. Damn, I gotta admit, he's good-looking but I turn my attention towards Madam Causer.

"Géroux, Reine Géroux." I decide to use my middle name instead of my first name. "I probably should have asked first but, where am I?" I have to make my story believable and thank god, I know how to barrier my mind.

"The Hospital Wing at Hogwarts."

"Right, what's the date?" Madam Causer narrows her eyes. "I mean, how long have I been out for?"

"A couple of hours." Madam Causer answers with a kind smile. "It's still the 2nd of January. How did you end up here?"

"Well, I'm a transfer student from Beauxbatons and something went wrong with my portkey." I lie. "My mum wanted me transferred here to not be on mainland Europe due to Gellert Grindelwald at large, and the World War." Madam Causer nods in understanding.

"Understandable." She replies. "From my scans, you are completely fine to go now. You did have a split lip, several cuts on your face as well as bruises, and a dislocated elbow but they're all healed. Mr. Riddle, would you mind showing Reine to the Headmaster's office? He should still be up doing paperwork."

"Of course, Madam Causer." Tom replies and I stand up.

"Oh, before I forget, wear this elbow brace for the next two weeks." She places it on my bad elbow. "As a precaution." I smile.

"Thank you for treating me, Madam Causer."

"You're very welcome, dear." She responds. "Now, off to the Headmaster's office." Tom and I walk out of the Hospital Wing, and we walk in silence before he breaks the silence.

"What was it like at Beauxbatons?" He asks, and I shrug.

"Magical." I tease, and I see him raise an eyebrow. "No pun intended. It was brilliant. What's it like at Hogwarts?"

"Magical." He repeats, and I raise an eyebrow at him. "Hogwarts is like home. Slytherin is the best house, of course. Then Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor."

"Oh, and you're not biased at all." I point to his uniform and he smirks. "I don't get the whole houses thing. We didn't have them at Beauxbatons. All it would cause is inter-house conflict, right?"

"Well, you're not wrong." He supplies. "There are house rivalries between Slytherin and Gryffindor."

"Because of the rivalry between Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor?" Tom nods. "By the way, Reine Géroux." I stick out my hand.

"Tom Riddle." He shakes my hand. "Pureblood." I roll my eyes.

"Don't tell me that you care about Blood Purity?" He raises an eyebrow.

"And you don't?" He retorts.

"No, of course not." I answer. "There were plenty of muggle-borns in Beauxbatons." I pause for a moment. "Anyway, I'm a part of one of the Wealthiest Pureblood families in Europe, I can think what I like."

"I knew that I knew your surname from somewhere." Tom says after a long moment. "You come from a _very_ long-line of Purebloods. The oldest in Europe. The Géroux have a rare trait of being Metamorphmagus like the Gaunts, Slytherin's descendants, can speak Parseltongue." I nod.

"That's right, we do. We are descended from the original Metamorphmagus." I explain, and I change my hair to bright blue. "Like that."

"I prefer the brunette colour." I roll my eyes and change it back to the original colour. "We're here." He says the password and we move up the stairs, and he knocks on the door.

"Come in." A voice says from the other side and we walk in. There was Headmaster Dippet and a younger looking Professor Dumbledore on some chairs. "Hello Tom, Hello Miss…?"

"Géroux. Transfer from Beauxbatons." He pauses for a moment and considers my eyes as I plead for him to not expose me.

"Of course, Miss. Géroux. Thank you for leading her here, Tom."

"Of course, Headmaster." Tom says with a nod. "I must be getting back to my rounds."

"Of course. You're dismissed." Tom takes his leave and I slump in a chair.

"Tea?" Professor Dumbledore asks with a twinkle in his eye and I nod. He pours me some tea.

"I need help." I state to both Dumbledore and Dippet. "I've been sent from the future as we have lost our only hope in surviving."

"Surviving what?" Headmaster Dippet asks.

"The Wizarding War." I confess after a few moments. "I'm from the 2nd of May 1998."

"That explains the clothes." Dumbledore muses. "What exactly happens?"

"If I tell you this, you cannot tell anyone else." They both nod. "It starts in the 40's before Dumbledore defeats Grindelwald in 1945." Dumbledore widens his eyes. "Tom Riddle creates a horcrux." They both take an intake of breath. "He creates it in June of 1943. Wait, what's the year?"

"1943." Dippet states.

"Thank god, I'm in time." I pause for a moment. "He creates the horcrux by using the Basilisk to kill Myrtle Warren. Yes, he is a Parselmouth and a direct descendant of Slytherin himself. His mother was Merope Gaunt. She died in childbirth." I pause for another moment. "In August of this year, he kills his father and creates another horcrux using the Marvolo ring then frames his uncle who if we are being honest, is quite mad." I pause. "Between 1946 and the 70's, he creates 3 more horcruxes. Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's Cup and Ravenclaw's Diadem. Tom rises to power as Lord Voldemort in the 70's but is defeated on the 31st of October 1981 which concludes the First Wizarding War but, what we didn't know until recently, was that he created a Horcrux in Harry which is the person who defeated him. Then, he came back at the end of my 4th year. This starts the Second Wizarding War where Voldemort then creates another horcrux using Nagini. Voldemort wins on the 2nd of May 1998. I am the last hope in changing the future. So, can you help me? Or not?" They both stare at me for a couple of minutes.

"You may have been right about Mr. Riddle, Albus." Dippet apologises.

"He had us all fooled." Dumbledore forgives. "What exactly is your strategy?"

"Being one step ahead. First, we are going to kill that Basilisk." I answer.

"Where is this Basilisk, exactly?"

"In the Chamber of Secrets, of course." I answer. "The Basilisk is Slytherin's monster in the Chamber of Secrets."

"You know where it is?" They ask.

"Of course. Luckily, I know a bit of Parseltongue because Voldemort's trait passed onto Harry." I explain. "So, we are able to get into the Chamber."

"But how do we kill it?" Dumbledore questions.

"Godric Gryffindor's sword killed it in my future." I reply. "And the Basilisk fang can be used to destroy a Horcrux if need be." They nod. "Second, we steal Marvolo's Ring. We make sure that Morfin is arrested again which will be easy because he likes to mess with muggles. Then, we move the Riddle Family out of the area completely. Like, maybe to South Africa or something. By the way, Tom's a half-blood not Pure-blood, and he's ashamed of it." Dumbledore raises an eyebrow. "Third, we need to steal the locket, the cup and the diadem before he can create them into Horcruxes."

"This is all well and good but what if he just uses other objects for horcruxes?" Dippet asks.

"Good question. Professor Dumbledore, in the future, you are the Headmaster of Hogwarts for most of my Hogwarts' career. You always say that Tom Riddle could never love but what if we try? Maybe someone he loves could pull him out of his childish beliefs that kill thousands of people."

"From what you told me, the whole story, I don't think someone who loved could do that." Dumbledore points out.

"We have to try, please." I beg. "For the greater good. There must be someone in Slytherin right for him?" They both frown.

"He's never really shown an interest. He just uses his gentlemanly charm." Dippet responds. "We'll work on that, in the mean-time, let's stick to this strategy."

"When do Prefect stop their rounds?" I ask.

"Right about now." Dippet answers.

"Then let's go and kill a Basilisk." I reply and get up.

"We need the sword." Dumbledore retorts and I smile before getting the sorting hat. Don't fail me now. I put my hand in the hat and pull out the sword. "Only a true Gryffindor can pull out the sword when in need."

"We need to go to the second-floor girl's bathroom. That's where the entrance is." I instruct and we make our way down to the bathroom. It was weird not seeing Moaning Myrtle flying about. Dippet creates wards in the bathroom, so, no one could come in. I make some hissing sounds and the chamber opens. I could tell that Dumbledore and Dippet were awestruck. "Ready?" They nod and I jump down first, landing on the bones again. Ugh. After they were down, we make our way through the cavern and to the big metal door. I say some more hissing sounds and the door opens. We climb through and stand in the big chamber with Slytherin's face, and there was the door. "You must remember to not look at the Basilisk in the eye. It will kill you. If you the Basilisk's eye in the reflection of the water, you'll only be petrified. I'm hoping that it's sleeping." I cross the water and hide to the side of the entrance in Slytherin's beard. I make sure more hissing sounds and the door opens. I heard the hissings of the Basilisk and as soon as it pokes its head out, I impale my sword through the top of it's head. It screeches in pain and withering about, before flopping down, dead. "We did it…"

"This has just certified the truth for me." Dippet comments.

"Why didn't you ask for my memories?" I ask with a frown.

"Memories can be altered." Dippet answers and I nod in agreement. _That was true._ "Now for the second thing that needs to happen, we can have a weekend at Hogsmeade, and you and Albus can apparate and sort out the situation. I have to keep a close eye on things here." I nod in agreement.

"Okay." I agree. "So, who wants to sleep?" They chuckle as we make our way back to the surface. "So, I'm going by the backstory that I'm a transfer from Beauxbatons. I know I'm 18 but I must be 16 to be disguised in Tom's year. Professor, I need you to get in touch with Delphine Géroux and Franҫois Géroux. They are my great-grandparents. They need to be informed as well because I need to pose as their daughter and I know, Professor Dumbledore, that you know them."

"Of course." Dumbledore replies as we get back to the surface. I hiss again and it closes. "Now, where for you to sleep?"

"You'll be placed in the guest wing and you'll be sorted in the morning. I'll borrow a potion from Horace for getting your age back to 16, so, you'll pass for a 5th year. I presume that you need to be sorted in Slytherin for this to all work?" I nod. "Discuss it with the hat, he'll understand." He leads me to a door. "Here is your room. It can only be opened by you until you are sorted. 8:30am in the hall." I nod.

"Thank you, Headmaster Dippet, Professor Dumbledore." I thank them before going into my room and laying on my bed, quickly falling asleep.

I walk up and widen my eyes in surprise to the robes folded on my bedside table with a potion. _Thank you._ I get dressed and down the potion, and make my way to the hall. I approach the table where Dippet smiles at me before standing up as I stand next to him. "Hello, students. We have a transfer student from Beauxbatons, Miss. Reine Géroux. She'll be in 5th year but needs to be sorted." I sit on the stool and Dippet places the hat on my head.

"Hmm…I seem to have done this before to you but in the future." The hat muses. "Your future is devastating from what I see, so, you need this plan to work."

"Yes." I reply in my head.

"Then in that case, better be…SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouts and Slytherin table claps, and I make my way down. A girl stands and waves me over, and gestures for me to sit, so, I do.

"Hello, I'm Walburga Black, 6th year and prefect." _This is Sirius' mother_?! I shake her outstretched hand.

"Reine Géroux." I reply and I shake multiple hands with 5th and 6th year girls. A couple of Burke's, Rosier, Yaxley, Greengrass, Avery, Lestrange and obviously, Walburga from the Black Family. "So, what am I in for at Hogwarts?"

"Well, people will try and get engaged to you." Walburga says, bluntly. "Orion, my second cousin, has been trying to for years. He's a 2nd year."

"Seriously?" I ask and Yaxley nods.

"Yep, and you have just become game." Erica Yaxley, 5th Year, answers. "Considering that your family is one of the oldest and wealthiest Pure-Blood families in Europe, everyone will want your hand."

"Fuck." I curse under my breath. "Luckily, my parents always said that I could choose who I marry. Actually, most of my family have illegitimate children." They gasp. "It's a French thing." _Complete lie._

"Oh, different culture to ours, I suppose." I nod. "Do you just speak French, or do you speak other languages as well?"

"I speak English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Romanian." I respond. "My parents and I moved a lot."

"Impressive." Michelle Avery, 5th Year, murmurs. "Is it true that every Géroux family member gets a tribal wolf tattoo when they're 16 or when they marry into the Géroux family?" I raise an eyebrow. "It's an honest question."

"It's true but I can't show you it, it's against the rules." I insist. "I was 16 back in November. I got it done at Christmas."

"Was it painful?" Yaxley questions.

"Not at all." I answer. "But pain is different for each person."

"Should you ladies be talking about such crude practices?" A boy with platinum blonde hair asks and I roll my eyes. Of course, it's a _Malfoy._

"It's a custom that has been in my family over two millennia. We can trace the custom that far back and we can trace our lineage even further." I pause for a moment. "Tell me, how far can you trace your family lineage to?"

"The Normal Conquest." He answers, sneeringly.

"Only a thousand years?" I shake my head in disapproval. "Shame." The girls around me snicker and I turn my attention to them.

"You certainly took him down a notch or two." Rose Burke, 6th Year, says in approval and lowers her voice. "Be cautious, Abraxas Malfoy is not one to mess with."

"Trust me, I am very proficient at duelling and transfiguration." I mutter back. "I could turn him into a ferret." They all start giggling. _They don't seem so bad now. Why are they so bad in the future? Is it Riddle's influence?_

"Miss. Géroux?" I hear the voice of Horace Slughorn call as he approaches. "I'm Professor Slughorn, I'm the Head of Slytherin house." I shake his hand. "This is your timetable. You're taking an impressive 10 subjects but your transfer papers all indicated that you were the top of your class." It was always between Hermione and I, but I guess that isn't the point. "Well, good luck to you and if you have any questions just ask." He looks at the entire table. "I think all of you should be thinking about going to lessons now." With that, we make our way to our first lesson, transfiguration. Transfiguration was always my favourite subject. I learnt how to be an Animagus in 3rd and 4th year. Unregistered but still, I learnt. Well, there isn't a registry in France, there is one in Britain which I don't have to sign on because I'm French. I follow all the ladies into Transfiguration and walk to the desk where Professor Dumbledore sits.

"Professor Dumbledore, where should I sit?" I ask.

"Ah, Mr. Riddle." I turn towards Tom. "You seem to have, now, gained a partner in Transfiguration." I nod and walk over, and sit next to him.

"How good are you at Transfiguration?" He whispers asks.

"I'm so good at transfiguration that I'm already an Animagus." I answer. "We don't have a registry in France to register on and because I'm French, I don't have to sign the British registry."

"That's a nice loophole." He muses. "But you're going to have to prove it." I shrug and transform into a grey wolf. Professor Dumbledore and the students turn to stare at me.

"It seems we have an Animagus in our midst." Dumbledore states with a twinkle in his eye. "Thank you for the demonstration, Miss. Géroux. I award you 10 points for this wonderful display. You may turn back now." I turn myself back and pick up my pen again, and turn to Tom with an eyebrow raised.

"Point taken." He murmurs and turns to the board. I smirk and turn towards the teaching. It continued like this for most of the day. Tom seemed to be the only person who always had a space free next to him. _Clearly, he likes to work alone._ _Evidently, it's how he is in the future._ I make my way to Slytherin table for dinner. Suddenly, an owl stoops in and drops a letter at me.

"Probably my parents." I mutter and open the letter.

 _Pour ma fille chérie,_

 _Je sais que quitter Beauxbatons était soudain. Cependant, je vous ai entendu vous installer. Slytherin est un bon choix. Slytherin est ambitieux, comme vous. Envoyez-nous une lettre bientôt. Nous t'aimons._

 _Tes parents,_

 _Delphine and Franҫois x_

Dumbledore did it and I smile. "As I suspected, just my parents congratulating me on getting into Slytherin. Poor owl had to travel from Spain, so, he's probably hungry."

"You could take him up to the owlery?" Walburga suggests. "They have owl seeds in there."

"Good idea. Save me some potatoes, please?" The girls nod and with the owl on my arm, I walk to the owlery. I pass Flitwick's future office and make my way up the icy steps. I had to be very careful here, but I make it. I place the owl in the owlery. "I'll send a letter tomorrow morning, alright? You rest here." The owl hoots before eating the seed I place in front of him. "Good owl." I abruptly turn and bump into Tom. I narrow my eyes. "Why are you here? Sending a letter?"

"No as Prefect, I'm meant to make sure people don't get lost." I raise an eyebrow. "Although, you surprisingly knew where you were going."

"Oh, Headmaster Dippet showed me a map of the school." I reply. "It was quite interesting." I felt something try to invade my mind. "Really, Mr. Riddle? All children of the Géroux are taught Occlumency before they go to school. I'm also a proficient Legilimens myself but I don't use it to invade people's minds when I don't need too." I narrow my eyes at him and he had the decency to look sheepish.

"First, you end up at Hogwarts, bruised and battered. Second, you know how to turn into an Animagus. Third, you know Occlumency and Legilimency." He lists off. "Anything else to add?"

"I've been able to do a Patronus Charm since I was 14." I whip out my wand and my Patronus runs around before disappearing. "Naturally, it's also a wolf."

"And you know the Patronus Charm." Tom adds in. "Who are you?"

"Reine Géroux." I answer. "Now, I'm getting back to dinner. I'm hungry." I brush past him. "Are you coming? It is rude to decline an invitation of dinner in Britain, I hear." Tom snorts.

"It is." Tom confirms and holds out his arm for me to take. I do, and we make it down the icy steps.

"They should really put more precautions on those steps in Winter." I mutter and Tom nods in agreement.

"Quite a few students have fallen up and down them." Tom explains, and we make our way into the hall, and make our way to our respective seats when the hall falls silent.

"Did you just walk in with Tom Riddle on your arm?" Rachel Burke, 5th Year, leans over and whispers.

"Yes, is that a bad thing?"

"He is the most handsome and eligible bachelor in school." Avery explains.

"I'm not looking for someone to court." I reply, and they give me a look. I decide to tell a white lie. "My betrothal passed away over the Summer. A blood malediction. It resurfaced after generations had passed." They look at me, sympathetically and say their condolences. "It's alright. I'm through the grieving process." Well, I was dating someone called Edmund Gottschalk. A half-blood at Durmstrang. I met him during my 4th year and it went from there. He died by Rodolphus Lestrange hand. Technically, if I'm here and the future didn't happen then he isn't dead because he doesn't exist yet. I do love him but I don't think I was in love with him.

French to English Translations;

Pour ma fille chérie. = For my darling daughter.

Je sais que quitter Beauxbatons était soudain. = I know that leaving Beauxbatons was sudden.

Cependant, je vous ai entendu vous installer. = However, I heard you have settled down.

Slytherin est un bon choix. = Slytherin is a good choice.

Slytherin est ambitieux, comme vous. = Slytherin is ambitious, like you.

Envoyez-nous une letter bientôt. = Send us a letter soon.

Nous t'aimons. = We love you.

Tes Parents. = Your Parents.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: February 27th, 1943

The first Hogsmeade outing we have is today, the end of February, as we experienced a heavy blizzard storm. I am to meet Dumbledore in the alley beside Hog's Head Inn. I break away from Avery and Rachel Yaxley. I made the excuse that I was getting candy. I make my way down the alleyway and meet with Dumbledore. "Okay, we need to go to outside Little Hangleton." I take his arm and we apparate. As I predicted, we land exactly where we want to be. "It's through here." Dumbledore and I come across the Gaunt Shack. "We need to stun him then take the ring. Then we need to go to the mansion down the road, and persuade them to move to South Africa, immediately."

"Then let's get to work." Dumbledore replies. After stunning Morfin and taking the Gaunt Ring, we get the Aurors to take him away for a Psychology test. He won't pass. We make our way down the road and influence their minds that moving to South Africa will be the best thing for them before leaving. Hopefully, this will work. We apparate back to the alleyway and I move out first before Dumbledore does, but I notice Tom eyeing me, suspiciously, when I return. I narrow my eyes at him as I pass. I get a sugar quill from Honeydukes before leaving. Everyone else was still down there but I wasn't up for fun. _This whole mission was stressful._ I think I'm just gonna go to the library and do some work.

"Géroux!" A voice calls from behind. Of course, it had to be him. "What are you doing?"

"It's Reine and I'm going to the library to do some work." I answer. "I can't just spend all Saturday out here."

"You do realise that your grades are on par with mine, right?" He asks. "And I'm top of the class."

"Studying never did anyone ever harm. Fun has." I comment. "Plus, the library is going to be free. 1st years and 2nd years avoid it completely, and everyone else is down there." I point to Hogsmeade and start climbing again but he follows, and I turn around again. "Is there something else?" He smirks and shakes his head.

"No, I'm just going to the library to do work. I can't be knocked off as top of the class." I roll my eyes and go the dungeons to pick up my stuff before going to the library. Tom was already there, seated at a table. I put my stuff down and begin writing my potions essay. I'm basically repeating my 5th year and my 6th year, so, this is going to be a piece of cake. I make quick work of my essays in Potions; History of Magic; Transfiguration; Study of Ancient Runes; Arithmancy; Astrology; Care of Magical Creatures; Charms; DADA; and Herbology. "How did you do those so fast?"

"I'm a know-it-all." I deadpan. "And we did this in Beauxbatons, 2 years ago." I put the essays in my bag and seal it. It's a bag that only I can get into or any other Géroux. "I wonder if they have genealogy in this library."

"They do." Tom states. "Go along 3 book cases and you'll find stuff on family tree there." I thank him. I collect a book that says, 'Pureblood Families of French and German Origin' before sitting down again. "Researching the family tree?" I nod.

"Yep but these aren't up to date at the moment." I murmur. "These were released in 1925. Before I was born but they do have my parents in it." I point at them.

"Delphine Géroux (neé Lemaire) and Franҫois Géroux." He reads off where my finger points. On the other side was information about my family. "The Géroux family can trace their origins back to 3100BC during the Helladic period of Bronze Age Greece which makes them the oldest wizarding family in Europe."

"That's 5000 years." I say in awe. "I did not know that my family was that old."

"It is an impressive heritage." He agrees, coolly.

"Indeed." I muse. "What about your heritage?" I see his expression falter.

"I don't know." I couldn't tell whether he was lying or not. "I was raised in an Orphanage."

"Ah, I understand." I respond, and he raises an eyebrow. "What? I've met people who were raised in an orphanage before. Why judge people for it?" His expression took a turn of intriguement. "Anyway, if you ever find yourself bored, you are welcome to stay with us for a couple of weeks over the summer."

"Really?" He asks in surprise.

"Yeah, I would have to ask my parents, but they would be fine with it. Although, we would be spending it in Southern Spain not France." I frown. "Our home in Boulogne-sur-Mer is currently under the occupation of Nazi Germany therefore we can't go back there."

"Oh, I'm sorry to here that." He says, sincerely. _Was he even being sincere? I have no idea._ "I was in Wool's Orphanage, but it isn't safe in London anymore, so, I'm living in the countryside now in Devon."

"The Evacuation of all urban and populous cities?" He nods. "Are the family nice?"

"They're alright. The parents are of a magic heritage, so, they know all about Hogwarts." I nod.

"Would make sense." I muse. "It would be hard not to break the stature of secrecy if you were living with muggles."

"Exactly." He agrees. "I have a question." I look up from my book. "Why do you have so many piercings?" _Of course, different time, different views on what was acceptable._

"I have a bit of a rebel streak, I suppose." I explain. "Anyway, it's only 3 lobe piercings in each ear; 3 helix piercings in my left ear; and 1 helix piercing in my right ear." He shakes his head in dismay. "Looking back, that maybe a lot and I'm not sure if I like the unevenness of having 3 helix piercings in one ear and 1 in the other. I might just pierce my right ear two more times." Tom pinches the bridge of his nose. "What?"

"You are definitely unique, that's for sure." He murmurs, and I shrug.

"Yep. You don't see a 16-year-old woman with a tattoo and several piercings often, do you?" I question.

"No, you don't." He answers with a smirk. "Have you ever wanted other piercings?"

"I do have another piercing, it's just invisible. My parents couldn't know about it or they would not be happy." I explain.

"Dare I ask, where?" He asks, and I take the glamour off my tongue, and stick my tongue out at him. He scrunches his nose up. "I don't know whether to be disgusted or not. Better yet, how is a tongue piercing useful in anyway?" I raise an eyebrow and give him a cheeky smile before leaving to put the books back. As I walk past, he catches my wrist and pulls me down into his lap. "Darling, as I was saying before you rudely walked off, how is a tongue being pierced useful?" He had that smirk on which he knew exactly what it could be used for.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that if you play with fire that you will get burnt?" I retort, and his smirk widens.

"Trust me, you've met your match, darling." He replies, and I raise an eyebrow as I lean in close to his ear.

"Maybe, if you can catch me without magic." I tease as I get up, and he smirks.

"I'll take that as a challenge." He states, and I widen my eyes before legging it out of there. Why would I challenge Voldemort? Better yet, why did I flirt with him? Dumbledore was right when he said he was a charmer. I make my way to the one-eyed witch passage and smuggle myself in after I say the password. I hide in there and wait 10 minutes after the footsteps had disappeared, and make my escape. I make my way to Slytherin's common room and I was almost there when I bashed in something, and smacked the back of my head against the floor when I fell. I grunt on the impact and clutch the back of my head in pain. "Are you alright?"

"I think I may have given myself a minor concussion." I grumble back. I felt so sleepy. "Actually, maybe a bigger concussion. All I want to do is fall asleep."

"Definite concussion." Tom mumbles back and I felt myself being picked up. To support myself, I wrap an arm around the back of his neck. I was sloughed against his shoulder as he carried me. _Why wasn't he using levitating spell?_ I shake that from my mind as my head too much. I heard the mumble of talking and I feel my mind come back around with the potion I ingest.

"How do you find yourself in these situations, Miss. Géroux?" Madam Causer asks, and I shrug as she comes back into refocus.

"I'm unlucky." I answer. "I have a tendency to break my bones often. The Matron at Beauxbatons would always curse my bad luck before fixing me up."

"Well, make sure that you're near Mr. Riddle the next time bad luck strikes." Madam Causer jokes. "He seems to always carry you in here." I look at Tom.

"Thank you for carrying me both times." I thank. "I'll try not to make it a third."

"I wouldn't have any competition in school if you keep getting injured like this." He responds. "But you're welcome anyway." Madam Causer smiles at us both.

"Mr. Riddle, can I trust that you can make sure that she has food before going to bed?" Madam Causer questions and I narrow my eyes at her. _I can make sure that I eat myself._

"Of course, Madam Causer." He answers. "Come on, Reine. Let's go to the great hall before dinner ends." He helps me out of bed before making sure I was holding his arm as we walk down to the great hall. Thank god, he was acting like the perfect gentleman. I don't think I can deal with flirting shit at the moment. We sit at the end of Slytherin table by the double doors. None of my friends nor his friends were here at the moment which was odd but whatever. The goblet fills with water and I begin to plate up my food. I see him eye my plate. "That's hardly any food."

"One, I don't need that much food. Two, I don't like roasts that much." I insist. "I would rather have bœuf bourguignon."

"Beef stewed in red wine?" He asks.

"It's my favourite." I answer. "My mum's bœuf bourguignon is the best one I've had."

"I'll be sure to try it in the summer." He teases, and I smile but it drops when he plates my plate with more food. "Now, eat." I pout as I begin to eat before I knew it, my whole plate was gone, and Tom had 'I told you so look'.

"Okay, so, maybe, I was hungrier than I thought but I don't think I can eat anymore." I insist.

"Nor can I." He agrees. "I don't have a sweet tooth for dessert."

"Same. Although, the occasional croissant never hurts." I point out as we stand. "You don't have to come, you know? I can make it to Slytherin dorms without collapsing." He considers it but shakes his head.

"I said to Madam Causer that I would take you back to Slytherin dorms after eating and I intend to fulfil that." He holds out his arm. "Shall we?" I roll my eyes and grasp his arm. We take our time to walk to the dungeons as there was no rush. Once in Slytherin Common Room, we walk up the stairs to where the boys' and girls' dormitories split off. No one was here as everyone was in the Great Hall. "You know, I'm not an idiot. I know you're from the future." _Oh, god. He knows. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._ "By the way that your expression goes by one of fear. I assume that you killed the Basilisk?" Bloody Hell. "I'll take the silence as a yes. How ever did you kill it?"

"Gryffindor's Sword." I answer, boldly. "All you need to know is a bit of Parseltongue to get down there. My best friend could speak it. You pick up a few things."

"Clearly." He sneers. "So, what year are you from?"

"1998." I reply. _Might as well tell the truth. I was going to obliviate him anyway._ "Our world has been taken over by a dark wizard and I'm the only hope the world has left."

"So, what? Assuming that I'm the dark wizard, you've come back in time to kill me?" He questions.

"Actually, no." I retort. "I'm just making sure I'm one step ahead of you, so, you don't make horcruxes. Unlike you, I don't enjoy killing people."

"I haven't killed anyone." He insists.

"Not yet." I supply with a rising anger. "I might as well tell you what you become. I'll drop my shields partially. I'll show you what you become if you continue on this path."

"Alright." He agrees, and I drop my shields, and I feel him go through my mind. I show him what he looks like and what he becomes. He staggers back when he finishes it. "I-I become that?"

"Yes." I confirm. "Splitting your soul in half takes a toll on you. You become a pale snake-like man who's cruel and vicious, and doesn't care. Not about anything. You lose your personality. Your followers kill my parents and my siblings. I'm tortured by your second in command; Bellatrix. To be honest, she's a right psychopath. You may win the war, yes, but at what cost? Your sanity."

"I-I don't want to become him." He states in shock.

"Then don't." I reply. "You're a good wizard, Tom. Not good, brilliant. A brilliant wizard, Tom. You could do so many things. I reckon if you put your mind to it, you could be Minister of Magic."

"Minister of Magic does sound appealing." He murmurs.

"You have to work your way up, like you do all jobs, Tom. I know you don't like being bossed around but that's a way of life for everyone." I point out.

"Fair point." He agrees.

"I do have a question, why do you hate muggles and muggle-borns, so much?" I ask, and he shrugs.

"At this point, it's a combination of things. You know that Orphanage I was talking about?" I nod. "I was treated badly by the adults and the children. Not to mention, my father left my mother when she was pregnant with me."

"You do realise that he was under a love potion, right?" I ask, and he nods. "You can't force someone to love you, it's not right, and you know it." His face takes a pained look. "Have you ever thought of visiting your father?" He shakes his head.

"I don't think I would be a welcome surprise." He replies.

"How do you know until you try?" I retort, and he looks at me in surprise.

"I don't." He mutters.

"Exactly." I respond. "Next Hogsmeade, we'll visit them. I may have influenced them to move to South Africa, but I can apparate."

"You're 16." He deadpans.

"No, I'm 18." I sass. "I just look like a 16-year-old to fit in."

"Explains why you look younger than when I first saw you." He murmurs. "I guess I have a lot to think about tonight, huh?" I look at him, seriously.

"You do." I re-affirm. "I must stress that you can't tell anyone about where I'm from. That fact that I'm telling you this breaks about 50ish laws on the subject of time travel."

"I understand. I won't tell anyone." He reassures. "Goodnight, Reine."

"Goodnight, Tom." I murmur and close the door behind me. Hopefully, this maybe just stop him from doing all the awful things in the future. I get changed into my pyjamas and climb into bed before falling asleep.

I'm awoken by someone punching my face and screaming occurs from all around me. _What?_ I open my eyes and push the person off with all I could. _There were three strange men in the room._ I grab my wands and start duelling them. The girls get the idea and start duelling with them as well. In a few minutes, a few of the Professors were in here but by that time, they were only one not down. "Stupefy!" I yell, and he didn't shield it, and it hit him straight in the chest. It knocked him out at least. I look at my watch. _11pm?!_

"Are you all alright?" Headmaster Dippet asks with worry and we all nod. "Miss. Géroux, Miss. Avery, Miss. Burke, I believe a trip to Madam Causer will be beneficiary. Your nose is bleeding quite profusely." We nod. "Professor Slughorn will accompany you when he is finished instructing Slytherin house on what to do. You're all being moved to the great hall for your own safety." I wrap my dressing gown around me and I sigh. _Only I would get punched in the face._ Headmaster Dippet waves his wand at me. The blood begins to clear up. "It is a temporary solution until you get to Madam Causer." The girls and I make our way down the stairs. All the Slytherins from 1st year to 7th year stare at us. I could feel Tom's eye baring into me.

"Merlin's beard, what happened to you three?" Professor Slughorn asks as we make our way to the front.

"Well, I was awoken by Rachel screaming." Miss. Avery starts. "Because there were 3 strange men in our room. I don't know why but one of them punched Reine in the face. Hence, the blood stains and the split lip. This woke her up and she grabbed her wand, and started duelling them and we followed in her footsteps. We managed to take them all down. I say we, more like Reine. She's a very proficient dueller. We just kept them busy." I scratch my neck in embarrassment. "Some of them got some good shots in though. Rachel's broken her wrist and I've cracked a few ribs. I'm not sure if Reine got hit by a spell."

"I did." I confirm. "Once. My arm is currently boneless." I show the flexible of my arm. "It didn't seem important at the time when we were duelling."

"Right, you three come along with me to the Hospital Wing. Prefects, wait here for Headmaster Dippet." All the prefects nod and we follow Professor Slughorn to the Hospital Wing. Once we were there, Madam Causer was in Matron mode.

"My dear girls, lay down here." We lay down on our respective beds. "Professor Slughorn, would you mind getting the skele-gro while I mend Miss. Burke's wrist and Miss. Avery's ribs." Professor Slughorn goes off to get the skele-gro while she uses spells to mend their wrist and ribs. She places a splint on Rachel's wrist. "Unfortunately, Miss. Géroux will have to stay here overnight. Bringing back bones is a painful process." The girls hug me and Professor Slughorn leads them out to the great hall after he hands Madam Causer the skele-gro. "First off, Episkey." I feel my broken nose and split lip heal. "Second, you will need to drink this. Fair warning, it tastes disgusting, but you need to drink it every hour until your bones are back." I nod and swallow the vile medicine. "Now, the aurors have been informed of what happened and one will be stationed outside overnight. Now, get some rest and I'll wake you up when you need to take this again." So, she did. Every hour on the mark. Although, by the time morning hit, my bones had regrown. After spending the entire Sunday in the Hopsital Wing, Madam Causer let me leave to go to breakfast on Monday after she put my arm in a splint and a sling with the agreement that I see her after dinner was done. I thank her again and make my way to the great hall. Madam Causer, bless her, went and got my robes, so, I could change before leaving. You could here a pin drop when I walked in. I merely roll my eyes and make my way over to my friends.

"She lives." Walburga remarks with a small smile. "How's the arm?"

"Numb. Skele-gro is awful and I'm on a lot of pain medication right now." I answer.

"Should you even be going to lessons?" Rachel asks in concern and I shake my head.

"No but I managed to persuade Madam Causer to let me after arguing with her for a straight hour." I reply with a smirk. Avery snorts. "Although, if I suddenly don't feel up to it, I'm allowed to leave and have to go back to the Hospital Wing."

"Lucky." Lestrange groans from a few rows down with his friends and I huff.

"Would you rather have to go through re-growing bones which is a very painful process or go to lessons?" I question with a raise of my eyebrow.

"If you put it like that…" Lestrange trails off.

"Exactly, so, button it." I state. All the girls laugh. "What?"

"You have a fiery temper that seems to take the boys down a few notches." Avery explains, and I shrug.

"I try and I'm French." _I feel like this is going to be my excuse for everything now._ They snort and laugh anyway. "J'ai besoin de café et de croissants. De préférence, le chocolat." Walburga hands me a coffee and a chocolate croissant. "Merci."

"You know, I really think you should go back to the hospital wing." Rachel says with worry and I shake my head.

"I'll be fine." I answer. "Come on, we can't be late for Potions."

"You haven't touched anything." Avery retorts.

"I'm not hungry." I lie. "Now, come on." We make our way into Potions with Professor Slughorn and I take my seat next to Tom. "Hey."

"Hey." He repeats. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just on a lot of pain medication, that's all." I murmur.

"Should you be in class?" He asks.

"Nope but arguing with Madam Causer will let you." I answer. To be honest, I was dizzy, but I wanted to continue the lesson. 20 minutes into the lesson and we were done brewing the potion and were waiting for everyone else to catch up. I flunk my head on the table. My head really did hurt.

"Professor Slughorn, I think Reine needs to go to the Hospital Wing. I can escort her if you would like?" Professor Slughorn murmurs his agreement and Tom escorts me out the room.

"Ugh, my head is killing me." I grumble in pain. "Maybe it's a side effect of the pain potion."

"Doubtful." He responds, and I feel my legs collapse beneath me. Luckily for me, I'm caught by Tom and I rest my head on his shoulder as he carries me. "This is not good."

"I know." I murmur. "I don't know what's wrong. I just hope I'm really unlucky." He snorts and turns the corner to the hospital wing, and sets me on a bed. Madam Causer rushes out of her office.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you leave." She mumbles. "Once again, Mr. Riddle, thank you for bringing her here."

"It's my pleasure." Tom replies, coolly. "She had a headache in Potions and collapsed in the hallway as I was escorting her here."

"A headache?" Madam Causer frowns. "That shouldn't happen with all the pain medication I've given her. Collapsing from drowsiness can occur but not a headache." She begins to scan me. "I've never seen anything like this before. From my scans, there is nothing wrong with her."

"Then maybe I just had a headache?" I suggest.

"Perhaps." She sniffs. "I want you to stay in here for observation."

"It's 10am!" I exclaim. "What am I meant to do all day?"

"Rest." She insists. "I'm going to give you a sleeping draught that makes sure that you sleep." She goes to her office.

"I can't stay here!" I exclaim in a whisper.

"Why not?" He retorts.

"I won't be able to achieve anything from here." I answer.

"You won't be able to achieve anything if you don't get better either." He points out and I pout. "No pouting, Miss. Géroux." Madam Causer comes back with the sleeping draught and I'm focused to take it. _Dammit._ I could feel myself get sleepier and I feel soft lips kiss my forehead. "Get better soon." _What..._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: March 3rd, 1943

I feel new memories rush into my mind.

" _You're going to the Potter's for a play date." Mum informs a 6-year-old me._

" _Okay!" I exclaim, happily. "Do I speak English or French?"_

" _English, sweetheart." I nod, happily. I wanted to practice my English. My mum holds my hand as we climb into the fireplace. "Potter Manor." We are transported to a cosy lounge with a ginger-haired woman, a man with glasses and a young boy with similar glasses. "Lily, James, it's good to see you again." Mum hugs them both and I look at the small boy, hiding behind Mrs. Potter's leg. I decide to go forward and stretch out my hand._

" _I'm C_ _éleste Géroux." He peeks out from behind Mrs. Potter's leg. "Who are you?"_

" _Harry Potter." He answers, shyly, and shakes my hand. "Do you like exploding snap?" I nod my head. "I have cards if you wanna play?"_

" _Yes, please." I reply, and he grabs my hand, and brings me to my room._

This is how I meet Harry? Not on the train?

I feel all these new memories come into my mind.

 _Quirrell was the one stealing the stone not Voldemort._

 _No one was petrified in 2_ _nd_ _year._

 _Sirius wasn't an escaped convict from Azkaban. Peter was._

 _Cedric didn't die._

 _Professor Dumbledore didn't die._

 _The battle wasn't against Lord Voldemort, it was against an organisation. An organisation banned together with their Pure-Blood supremacy views._

 _We won._

 _My Parents and siblings aren't dead. Nor is Fred, Remus and Tonks._

I did it. I changed the future but how would I have got to the future if we won the battle? I sit up, shakily. Despite, Madam Causer telling me to lay down. "I can't lay down." I snap. "My life is at stake." She gives me a confused look, but I jump out of bed, running out of the Hospital Wing. _I need to find Professor Dumbledore._ I burst into his room where he was sipping tea with Tom. They both look at me in surprise. "I thought you two hated each other?"

"Hate is a strong word, Miss Géroux." Dumbledore comments with a twinkle in his eye. "Tom came to me when you collapsed and told me everything he knows about you. Speaking of, are you feeling better?"

"Much." I answer, sitting next to Tom. "It was new memories coming into my head. My mission is completed. There is no Voldemort. Only a pure-blood supremacy organisation which we defeat." I pause for moment. "Now, I'm the issue. If you change the past, you change the future. So, my past self in the future still needs to come here or what I've done will be for nothing. There's also a possibility I might fade as I'm in the past because I'm not meant to be here."

"I think I have just the thing." He gets a potion out his draw. "Drink this. It will stop you from fading while we figure out how to get you forward in time. I, for one, can tell your past self and give her the time-turner that you gave me to look after." I nod in appreciation and drink the potion. "In the meantime, just go about your studies as I search into how to get you home." I sigh. "I know this is hard, Miss. Géroux, but think for the greater good." I couldn't help but laugh.

"You always say that in the future." I murmur and his eyes twinkle.

"It's a good saying." He states. "Now, I believe it is lunch time in the Great Hall. Are both of you hungry?" I shake my head.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could have your permission to go to Hogsmeade, Professor?" I question. "I need to accomplish some personal things."

"Of course. I shall write you a slip." Professor Dumbledore answers. "Unfortunately, I have lessons for the rest of the day and therefore cannot accompany you. I fear for your safety if you go alone. Mr. Riddle, would you mind accompanying Miss. Géroux? I can write a slip for you as well, of course." I narrow my eyes briefly. _What is his game?_

"Of course." Tom answers. "I would be happy to accompany Reine."

"Excellent." He replies as he writes our slips. "Here you go. Be back before dark please." We nod and exit the room.

"What is the old codger doing?" Tom sneers and I roll my eyes.

"No idea but I was actually planning to go and see your family, and bring them back to England." I answer. "Are you sure you want to come?" I could see it maul on his face.

"Yes." He insists after a few moments.

"Okay but try not to kill them, please?" He widens his eyes.

"I kill them?" I grimace but nod.

"You make another horcrux from their deaths." I whisper as we pass some giggling and ogling Ravenclaw 4th years. I can't help but roll my eyes.

"Jealous?" He teases with a smirk.

"No, of course not." I retort and hit his arm. "Girls like that annoy the hell out of me. I had two as roommates. Lavender and Parvati. They could also gossip like there was no tomorrow."

"Bad luck." He says with another smirk. "Can you tell me more about your time? How were your years at Hogwarts?"

"Before or after time changed?" I question as we make our way out the entrance towards Hogsmeade.

"Before." I maul for a moment in silence.

"Well, the first year, I was sorted into Gryffindor. My roommates were Hermione Granger, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown and Fay Dunbar. Hermione and I were attacked by a troll on Halloween but Harry Potter and Ron Weasley saved us which is how we all became best friends."

"Did you say Potter and Weasley?" He asks.

"Yes, as in the current Pureblood families. Ron is a Pure-Blood and Harry is a Half-Blood but that doesn't matter." I say pointedly before continuing. "The DADA teacher of the first year, Professor Quirrell, had your face of the back of his head which he hid with a turban." Tom gapes. "Yeah, creepy, I know. You were after the Philosopher's Stone which Dumbledore hid in the school. He's the headmaster of my time. Harry saved the Philosopher's Stone but killed you in the process. We won the House Cup that year." I see him grimace and I grin. "In the second year, Ginny is possessed by you and opens the Chamber of Secrets. The basilisk petrifies a lot of people including Hermione." I give him a glare who puts up his hands in defence. "Hermione and I successfully brewed Polyjuice Potion and found out that the heir of Slytherin wasn't Draco Malfoy."

"A Malfoy?" Tom snorts and I shrug.

"Anyway, Harry, Ron, Lockhart and I go into the Chamber of Secrets. By the way, Lockhart is the 2nd worse professor of all time, and we've had a death eater, Snape, and Lord Voldemort as professors."

"Who's the worse?" He questions with curiosity.

"That will be explained when I get to fifth year." I answer. "Harry kills the Basilisk and Lockhart loses all of his memories. He's permanently at St Mungo's. We win the house cup for a 2nd year and everyone comes unpetrified again." I smile at seeing Hermione at the doors to the Great Hall. _How I had missed her._ "Third year, a convict called Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. He was charged as indirectly killing Lily and James Potter because he told you where they were because he was the secret keeper and killing Peter Pettigrew along with multiple muggles. In response to this, Dementors were set up as guards outside Hogwarts. Professor Lupin was the best professor that we ever had. Anyway, Ron was taken by Sirius Black in Dog Form, we went after him and he explained what really happened that night. That Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper not him. Pettigrew was the one who killed all the muggles and faked his death. He was living as a pet of Ron's – His name was Scabbers. Personally, Hermione and I felt violated. The amount of times that Pettigrew was in our room as Scabbers while we changed." I shudder. "What a pervert. Anyhow, once we get outside again, Professor Lupin starts to change into a werewolf, but he's forgotten to take his potion for the night. In the 70's, the Wolfsbane potion is invented, it gives the werewolf the ability to retain their mind during a full moon, making them less dangerous. We were attacked by Professor Lupin, but Sirius saves our lives but gets captured by the Ministry and was to be given the Dementor's kiss. Hermione, Harry and I travel back in time with the use of a Time Turner. Again, not invented until the 70's but they are very limited. The most you can go into the past is 5 hours without the potential to fade. We go back 3 hours, Save Buckbeak who was a Hippogriff and get attacked by Professor Lupin again but Buckbeak saved us. Harry saves his past self and Sirius from Dementors by using a Patronus Charm. Yes, he did that at 13. We use Buckbeak and break Sirius out of the top of the tower he was in. He then rode Buckbeak into the night sky which commences the end of our 3rd year and the story because I can now apparate because we're outside the wards." I hold out my hand and look at him expectantly. He takes my hand and I apparate us to London, near the Leaky Cauldron. "Right, transfer the clothes to something other than a school uniform." I wave my wand and other clothes change to casual muggle clothes. "This way." I turn the corner and walk into the Leaky Cauldron. I spot a younger looking Tom behind the bar. I approach him. "Hello, may I use the floo network?"

"Of course." Tom answer, setting his tea towel down and activating the fireplace for us. "Where are you two going?"

"Oh, just a visit to home." I reply, politely. Tom and I step into the fireplace, and I take some floo powder. "Géroux Villa." I throw the powder down and the fire engulfs us. We land in the living room and it's the same as I remember. I see Mamé (It's what she calls her Great-Grandmother – Delphine) round the corner with the wand at the ready. I put my hand up in surrender. "Posez la baguette, grand-mère. C'est moi. Reine." She lowers her wand. "Désolé, je sais que vous ne m'attendiez pas mais nous ne faisons que passer pour arriver en Afrique du Sud."

"C'est bon, chérie." Mamé replies. "Tu m'as juste fait peur c'est tout. Vous ne pouvez pas être trop prudent en ces temps." She looks at Tom. "Vous avez acheté un garçon avec vous? Reine…"

"Ce n'est rien comme ça." I insist. "C'est Thomas Riddle. C'est un ami qui m'accompagne en Afrique du Sud pour voir sa famille." I pause for a moment. "Pour lui, nous devrions probablement commencer à parler anglais." Mamé sighs before shaking her head with a grin.

"Children today." I snort at this. "Hello, my name is Delphine Géroux." She holds out her hand for him to shake.

"Thomas Riddle." He kisses her hand instead of shaking it. "Nice to meet you."

"Trying to charm my great-grandmother, are you?" Mamé has a sly look as she looks between Tom and I.

"It's fine, dear." She soothes me. "I'm a married woman anyway." I smirk. "Now, let me look at you, darling." She closely examines me. "Well-kept hair – it looks like my mother's hair; you have my eyes-" I smile at that. "You're tall but not too tall." I snort. "A gorgeous figure and stunningly beautiful. You got the good genes, clearly." I groan in embarrassment. "No need to be embarrassed, Reine. Although, you seem a bit skinny – what are they feeding you at Hogwarts?"

"It's always roasts which I dislike _profoundly_." I answer. "I've been craving bœuf bourguignon for months."

"Well, why don't you two go and run the errands you need to in South Africa while I make bœuf bourguignon for dinner." I widen my eyes and grin.

"Really?" She nods with a smile and I can't help but hug her. "Thank you!"

"You must really love bœuf bourguignon." She teases. "Now, on your way." I nod, and we step into the fireplace.

"South African Ministry of Magic." I state and throw the floo powder down. "The Ministry of Magic is in Johannesburg but your family live in Cape Town which is on the other side of the country."

"So, how are we getting there?"

"Apparition." I hold out my arm. "Hold on and bend your knees." He grabs my arm and I feel ourselves move. I land on top of Thomas as we appear outside the Riddle House. "Sorry." I mumble as I get up and he gets up. He looks at their house in awe. Their house was more like a mansion and had a villa vibe to it. I open the gate and we walk up the path to the front door. We exchange a glance before I knock on the door. A very old man in a butler's uniform opens the door. He takes all but one look at Thomas and his eyes widen in surprise. "Hello, we were wondering if we could take to Mr. Riddle?"

"Of course, come in." He answers and opens the door further for us. I hear him shut the door behind us while muttering, "it's a bloody miracle." He leads us to a closed door. "Wait here." He knocks on the door twice and enters. "Sirs, Madam, it's him." I hear an audible gasp from a woman.

"Bring him in!" The woman exclaims, excitedly. The butler gestures us to come in and I gesture for Tom to go first. He does, and I walk in after him. There were three people sitting in the living room as there was last time. His grandparents and his father. Mrs. Riddle walks towards Tom and pulls him into a tight hug. "Look at you! You're finally home!" She looks at me. "Oh! Such a beautiful girl! You two would make such beautiful babies!" I feel a blush come over my cheeks.

"Darling, stop embarrassing the children!" The grandfather teases his wife as he walks towards us. "Hello, Thomas, I'm your grandfather – Thomas." They shake hands.

"I'm Thomas as well." Tom replies.

"It's going to get quite confusing with 3 people of the family being called Thomas." I smile. This is going better than I thought. "Now, dear, what's your name?"

"Reine Géroux." I reply and shake his hand.

"Reine." He tests. "Queen in French." I nod. "A beautiful name."

"Thank you." I thank him, and I see Thomas, the father, move forward. He was basically staring in shock for the entire time. He stopped inches away from Thomas and closely examine him before I knew it, Tom was bought in for another hug but this time by his father who looked quite emotional. Tom returns the hug, slowly.

"My God, I've been praying for this day." He says as he lets go. "Your mother released me from whatever spell she put me under and I left to go and cool off because I was angry. I came back the next day to discuss this situation like an adult and she was completely gone. I don't know where she went. I've missed out on so much of your life. How did you even find us? Do you have magic like your mother?"

"Why don't we sit down and tell the story?" I question and they all agree, and we sit down. The grandparents sit down on the doubled seated sofa while the father sits on a chair. Tom and I take the other doubled seated sofa.

"Coincidentally, Reine knows more about my story than I do." Tom states and looks at me. _Right, I can tell some of it, I guess._

"Right, Merope Gaunt kind of lived everywhere as she was homeless when she left the house. She walked into an orphanage in London to give birth on New Year's Eve. She died during the birth, but Tom survived. Moving up to a few weeks ago, I transferred to Hogwarts which is where we study magic. I was sorted into the same house and we became good friends. I'm one of a few people who know Tom was raised in an orphanage and I was determined to try and find his family. Whether it would be good or bad news. And here we are."

"So, the tales that our son told about us were true? That she had magic?" Mrs. Riddle asks, and I nod.

"For example-" I take out my wand and point it at the dying flowers in the vase. I swish my wand and the flowers begin to look livelier in colour and posture. Mrs. Riddle gasps in delight. "There's a lot more things we can do but we're not allowed to do underage magic, so, gotta keep that under wraps."

"Well, I would love to hear more about you, Thomas, would you two like to stay for dinner?" I can see the longing in his eyes to stay with them, but we also had Mamé.

"Do you three like bœuf bourguignon?" They all nod. "My mother is currently making some at our house. Would you like to come for dinner? I can open a floo network in your fireplace to get us there and I have some spare floo powder in my bag." I pause for a moment. "Floo is a way of travelling for wizards but non-wizards can also use floo."

"That sounds delightful, dear." Mrs. Riddle replies. "Let us grab our coats." Luckily, the fire wasn't going in the fireplace and I open the floo network to travel to our villa in Spain. I feel someone place their hand on my shoulder and I turn around. It was Tom.

"Thank you." I think he was genuinely being sincere.

"It's alright." We exchange a smile before I break when the Riddle's walk back in. "The Floo is open."

"Who wants to go first?" The grandparents step forward. I nod and lead them into the fireplace. I take some floo powder out of the bag and pass the bag to Tom. I place myself in front of the grandparents. "Géroux Villa." I throw the floo powder on the floor of the fireplace and we're engulfed in flames. The Villa comes into view while I balance the grandparents. "Are you two alright?" They both nod and we move out of the fireplace.

"We were not expecting the flames." Mr. Riddle says.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that." I reply, sheepishly. "Mama! Où es-tu?"

"La cuisine, ma chérie." She calls back and the flames sprout from the fireplace again. Tom and Mr. Riddle step through. I lead the family through to the kitchen.

"Nous avons des invites." I comment as she turns around. "Mama, voici Thomas Riddle et Mary Riddle." I gesture to the grandparents. "C'est Thomas Riddle." I point to the father. "Il est le père de Tom." I pause for a moment. "S'il vous plait parlez anglais." I turn towards the family. "This is my mother, Delphine Géroux." They all shake hands and before we knew it, we were all laughing and eating the most delicious meal – Bœuf Bourguignon. Mamé, Mary and I were talking about going shopping in NYC by going through floo while all the Thomas' were talking about muggle and wizard sports alike. The muggle Thomas' were very interested in the concept of Quidditch.

Unfortunately, all days must come to an end and we needed to get back to Hogwarts before dark. With a promise of a shopping tripping to NYC on a weekend during the summer with Mamé and Mary, Tom and I left through the floo network to the Leaky Cauldron. Instead of using apparition, we decide to use the floo network to get to the Hog's Head Inn with the bartender's permission. We step through and immediately exit the crowded pub. "Okay, lets change our clothes quickly." I swish my wand and our clothes change to our school uniforms. "So, how was that?"

"Surprising." Tom answers as we walk back up to the castle. "I thought they would have reacted in horror not relief."

"And they didn't, Tom." I agree. "I can already see that Mary loves you."

"I like her." Tom replies. _I reckon he's close to loving her already, he just needs to say the words then I can prove Dumbledore wrong._ "She's a sweet lady."

"She is." I muse, gently. "So, what now? I know you went off for a private conversation with your father."

"He's going to formally adopt me from the orphanage and I'm going to live in South Africa with them during the holidays." He explains.

"That's amazing, Tom!" I exclaim. "Congratulations." I see a slight smile form.

"Thank you." We lapse into comfortable silence and make our way through the entrance.

"Do you think I should go to Madam Causer before I get into more trouble?" I ask with a smirk.

"Probably." Tom answers. "Come on, I'll take you there." We make small talk as we make our way to the entrance of the hospital wing. "I assume you can go inside without any help." I snort.

"Of course, it's a few feet." I reply, teasingly and I see him smirk. I didn't realise how close we were standing. I felt myself being drawn near and near to him. We were so close that we could kiss when the door to the hospital wing opens which breaks us apart.

"There you are!" Madam Causer exclaims, angrily. "I've been worried about you! You are to stay here overnight – no if's or but's." I nod with a pouting face. I really didn't want to stay here overnight. "Mr. Riddle, thank you for accompanying her back." Tom nods with a charming smile. "You can come and see her tomorrow." With that dismissal, Tom leaves with a wink at me. _Oh, God. I'm so screwed._


	4. Chapter 4

WARNING: Attempted Sexual Assault. It is midway through involving Malfoy. I will put 3 stars where it begins and ends if you do not want to read it.

Chapter 4: May 7th, 1943

It had been 2 months since the almost kiss and we were getting close to exam season. We tended to skirt around each other but flirt at the same time. Tom's damn followers, or previous followers, kept giving me the stink eye as well as half the school girl population. It was really annoying having to keep a watch out for people who could try and curse me. The latest girl was a 7th year Ravenclaw called Millicent Bagnold and her gang of giggly girls. Coincidentally, the Minister of Magic between 1980 to 1990. She had mousy blonde hair; watery grey eyes; short and a little bit overweight. Basically, the opposite of me. One of the girls with her used the slicing spell to cut open my bag causing everything to fall out. I sigh and use a spell to put my bag back together before collecting all my things. I reach for the last book, but someone grabs it before me. I look up. Tom. I sigh again and put everything in my bag as Tom puts the book in my bag as well before taking my bag to put it on his other shoulder. "Who was it this time?" I shake my head.

"Doesn't matter." I answer. "They'll have graduated in a couple of months anyway."

" _Please,_ " He pleads quietly. "It matters to me." I sigh again.

"Millicent Bagnold and her gang." I say after a few moments. "She's a future Minister of Magic."

"So, I can't maim her?" I give him a look. "Too soon?"

"You maiming someone is progress from murdering."

"I still haven't killed anyone." He protests.

"And you are not going too." I say, giving him a pointed look.

"Only for you, Reine." He replies with a disappointed tone to which I roll my eyes as we turn the corner.

"Geriatric psychopath." I mumble under my breath and he turns his head towards me.

"What was that?" He asks with narrow eyes.

"Nothing, dear." I answer as I pat his bicep in a soothing manner. He furrows his brows and pokes my ribs which makes me flinch in discomfort. "Fine. I may or may not have called you a Geriatric psychopath for being disappointed in not murdering someone." He snorts and rolls his eyes.

"I'm liking these nicknames for me." He replies, and I shake my head with humour. "Come on, we have Ancient Runes." We walk into the classroom with a couple of minutes to spare. We take two single desks in the corner at the back. The class starts filing in a few moments later. The class was mainly made up of Ravenclaws but there were a few Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. We were the only Slytherin's in this class – Thank God. Evelina Speziale, a Ravenclaw who I became friends with through this class, sits down on the other side of me. She was also one of a few girls in our year who didn't hate me because of my friendship with Tom. _Wait…Since when did I have a friendship with Tom?_ I shake the thought out of my head and greet her.

"Buon pomeriggo, Eve."

"Buon pomeriggo to you too." She replies with a grin. I was one of the only people in this school that also spoke Italian – Eve is Italian. "Hello, Tom."

"Hello," He greets, politely. Another thing, he didn't really talk to anyone apart from me. A bit of a loner, I guess? Although, what would that make me? _I don't really talk to anyone either._

"How was Potions with the Gryffindors?" I ask with a smirk, knowing the answer.

"You know how." She answers with a roll of her eyes. "Most of them are rowdy and half of them didn't even do the homework. It was easy." Professor Naaji walks into the classroom, cutting off her rant.

"Textbooks, out class. Turn to Chapter 18 and we shall begin."

After Ancient Runes, we go to Care of Magical Creatures and Charms before walking to dinner. Tom and I part ways to sit with our friends. Well, pretty sure they are not really friends in Tom's case. I sit between Rachel Burke and Anastasia Rosier – another 5th Year. I plate my food before beginning to eat. "Reine, how have the school girls been treating you today?"

"Starting off blunt, Denise Greengrass." I tease the 6th Year before sobering up. "Honestly, it's been awful. I've had my bag split open 4 times today. I've had my work ripped up and ink pots spilt all over it. Luckily, there are spells to undo those things, but someone approached me in the hallway earlier. A Hufflepuff 4th year at that and tried to duel me. I sent her on her way, but this is getting out of hand. Why can't I be Tom's friend without people trying to humiliate and ridicule me at every turn? It's exhausting." Rosier pats my shoulder with sympathy.

"Maybe you should stop being friends with him?" Iris Lestrange, 6th Year, suggests and I shoot her a look. "Okay, bad suggestions but what can we do? Us 6th Years don't share any classes with you, and while the 5th Years are with you with most your classes, you are the only one who has taken Ancient Runes and Arithmancy out of all of them." I massage my head in frustration.

"I'm just gonna have to deal with them as they come, I suppose." I say with a shrug. "Hey, I'm gonna go to the dorms, I'm not hungry." I lie as I stand up.

"Are you sure? You've hardly eaten anything?" Burke asks, and I nod before walking away from the dining hall. I was halfway to Slytherin Dormitories when I'm pushed against a wall with a wand at my neck. Abraxas Malfoy. The two behind him were Mulciber and Nott. I roll my eyes.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" I question as I raise an eyebrow.

"What did you do to him?" He asks in anger and I frown.

"Who?" I question back, and he pulls me forward before smashing me back against the wall. _Ouch._

"Vol-Riddle." He states. "What did you do to Riddle?"

"Nothing." I answer as my frown deepens.

"You've done something to him." Malfoy sneers at me. "What was it? A spell? Blackmail? Sex?" I snort at the last one.

"I've done nothing." I repeat for him, slowly. "And I would never offer myself for premarital sex. That's disgusting." A little lie. I haven't had sex, but I don't mind if it's before or after marriage.

"Because the French have a very strict moral code." Malfoy disagrees.

"You should know. You go back far another, you're French yourself." I retort which was not the right thing to do as his wand pokes deeper into my neck.

"Mulciber, Nott, subdue her." He orders and they both press me into the ground as Malfoy grabs my upper thigh. I do the only thing I can do – Scream. They all curse and perform the silencing curse on me as tears roll down my face. "Isn't she just a beautiful crier?" I kick out at him but he's too strong for me. "This will teach you for ever messing with me." He rolls up my skirt and undoes his belt buckle. I silently scream at him in horror. He was about to unzip his pants when he's hit with a stunning spell and the other two falls down as they're hit with stunning spells. I immediately sit up and roll down my skirt to the original length. I sit there in shock when Burke and Avery appear in my view.

"My god, those bastards." Avery curses and takes off the silencing spell. "I saw them all leave and were concerned. I did not think those boys could commit such a crime."

"We told Tom to get the Professors." Burke adds in. "We figured he would probably kill them, and they deserve to rot in Azkaban until death for what they just tried to do. Make them suffer." I nod and stand up in a daze.

"Reine." Avery continues, gently. "I think you've gone into a bit of shock. What do you need?" I gulp as I feel fresh tears form.

"Mama." I answer which is the time the Headmaster and Professors arrive.

"My dears, what has happened?" Dumbledore asks in a soothing voice, but I can't bring myself to even speak.

"Michelle and I will happily tell you and show our memories, Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster," Burke answers. "But I think Reine really needs a calming draught and Mrs. Géroux before she can even think about talking." Professor Dumbledore gazes at my trembling form for a moment before nodding once. "I would recommend tying those three bastards up. The name being well deserved."

"Albus, please will you accompany Miss. Géroux and Madam Causer while I take Miss. Burke and Miss. Avery to my office." The Headmaster commands. "Professor Merrythought, Professor Kettleburn, please tie these three up and put them in a secure room away from Miss. Géroux. Mr. Riddle, I know you and Miss. Géroux are good friends, you may accompany her to the Hospital Wing." Madam Causer steps towards me, and gently places her hand on my back and arm to guide me towards the Hospital Wing. I don't shake her off even though I don't want to be touched. At all. I hear Professor Dumbledore and Tom having a heated whisper behind me while we walk to the Hospital Wing, but I can't make out the words. We arrive, and I sit on a bed, and down a glass of Calming Draught before lying back under the covers. I close my eyes and within 10 minutes, I feel calmer.

"Do you have a vial?" I ask Dumbledore and he pulls one out from somewhere. I put my wand to my head and pull out the memory before placing it in the vial. "That's it. That's what happened. There should a pensive you can access somewhere."

"There's one in my office adjoining the transfiguration classroom." Dumbledore explains. "I will be back shortly." I nod and bury under the covers as Dumbledore leaves.

"You comfy there?"

"As I'll ever be." I reply.

"Okay. I'm going to ask a couple of questions." He starts. "You don't have to verbally speak. You can shake or nod your head." I nod once. "Did Malfoy follow you?" I nod. _Yes._ "Did he try to duel you?" I shake my head. _No._ "Did he attack you?" I nod. _Yes._ "Did he physically attack you?" I nod. _Yes._

"Smashed my head against the wall." I elaborate no further.

"Did he inappropriately attempt to assault you?" I nod once and turn my head away. "Hey, look at me." I ponder a moment before turning to look at him. "Thank you. I know it was hard to tell me." He kisses my forehead, sweetly. "I'll go and get Madam Causer to examine your head." He moves to stand up and I grab his arm, shaking my head. "Don't want me to go?" I nod and to my relief, he sits back down and calls out for Madam Causer who comes bustling in. "Reine said that – that person smashed her head against the wall. I thought it would probably be a good idea to check it over."

"Thank you for telling me, Mr. Riddle." She replies as she whips out her wand and runs it over my head. "Her head seems to be okay, but she does have a mild concussion. I will need her in for overnight observation." I vehemently shake my head. _I don't want to stay here on my own._

"She doesn't want to be left alone in a room with no one there." Tom supplies for me. "Even for a moment." He pauses. "I was coming to your office to get you but Reine didn't want to be alone even at a short distance."

"That would make sense. She wants someone she trusts with her." Madam Causer agrees. "She trusts the Professors and her friends, so, that's some people who can be around her. I'll talk to the Headmaster about the Professors keeping an eye on you for shifts for the night before you go back to your dorm." I nod once, and she bustles away again to her office for another Calming Draught, I suppose. Or maybe a sleeping draught? Professor Dumbledore comes striding in once more and sits down next to me.

"Thank you for the memory, Miss. Géroux." He thanks with sympathy. "I have showed it to the Headmaster who has compiled it with the memories of Miss. Avery and Miss. Burke. They've both been escorted to your dormitories. All of the students are not allowed out of their respective dormitories at the moment." I nod once. "Those boys are still tied up and unconscious. Professor Merrythought and Kettleburn are keeping a very close eye on them." He pauses for a moment. "Franҫois and Delphine Géroux are on the way as we speak. We are to meet them in the Headmaster's office."

"I am not allowed to leave, Professor." I say with a raise of an eyebrow and his eyes twinkle before going into Madam Causer's office. He comes out a few moments later and nods his head. I throw the blanket off and sit up. I swing my legs to around to the side and stand up. "Can I bring Tom?"

"Of course, Miss. Géroux." Dumbledore concedes with his eyes being abnormally bright and twinkling madly before heading for the door. I narrow my eyes at him thoughtfully before walking side by side with Tom to catch up with Dumbledore. We make it to the Headmaster's office and go up the already open stairs. I hear familiar voices cursing in French which makes me smile before it drops. Dumbledore opens the door and lets Tom and I in. I sigh in relief.

"Mama. Papa." I greet before cuddling into Mamé with Pepé stroking my back – soothingly.

"I want answers." Pepé starts. "I want to know who did it. I want to know if they had signs before and why did you not do anything about it. I want action."

"There names are Abraxas Malfoy, Thomas Nott and Michael Mulciber. Slytherin. Malfoy is a 5th Year, Nott and Mulciber are 7th Years." Dippet explains. "The only one who has had behavioural problems before is Nott and it shows in his grades. Malfoy and Mulciber have had detention only once which was in 2nd Year. None of us had any idea."

"That could just mean that we haven't caught them before." Dumbledore points out. "As a tendency, people do not commit big crimes without having done smaller crimes."

"A fine point, Albus." Dippet agrees. "We should question the students in the morning. We don't say who the victim is, but we say that a girl was almost sexually assaulted earlier by Malfoy, Nott and Mulciber. And we ask any students who could be victims to come forward. Not in the hall in front of everybody but in private. My office will be open from Breakfast to dinner for the next week for that purpose."

"It's a good idea." I voice as I lift my head from Mamé's shirt. "No one would come forward in public, but they would in private to a trusted mentor." I gesture to Dippet and Dumbledore.

"Then we shall do it." Dippet states, firmly. "The Aurors have arrived to take the three away and administer veritaserum for their confessions before going to trial. Because you are a minor and Malfoy is a minor – the trial will be soon. Mulciber and Nott's trials will come later as they are both adults." I nod. "Now, perhaps, you should go home and go to sleep in your own bed for the weekend as it's friday." I nod again but before I could move – the fire in the fireplace burns green and a man with long white-blond hair steps through. I gulp. A Malfoy.

"How dare you!" Malfoy exclaims to Dippet in anger. "The Malfoy family has been going to Hogwarts for generations and my son has done nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong?!" Pepé shouts angrily. "He was found red-handed by fellow Slytherins – attacking my daughter!"

"You!" He yells at me and strides towards me in fury but Mamé points her wand at him.

"You take one more step and I will diffindo your neck before you can even put up a shield charm." Mamé threats which stops Malfoy in his tracks.

"Who do you think you are, woman?" Malfoy shouts the question at her.

"That woman is my wife, Malfoy." Pepé states. "Have some respect. Géroux, Franҫois Géroux. This is my wife and the love of my life, Delphine Géroux. Your boy has messed with the wrong family. I will see that he is locked up in Azkaban for the rest of his life without ever seeing his family again. The rest of the Malfoy clan is formally marked as an enemy to the Géroux clan from this day forward." A black swirl forms between Pepé and Malfoy before it disappears. "I suggest you go and see your son in the Ministry's cells, it's going to be one of the last times you can." Malfoy sneers at all of us before walking back through the flames. "We'll be going back to Géroux Villa now, but we would like to extend an invitation to Mr. Riddle." Everyone turns to look at Tom who frowns a little. "Your family would like to see you again and considering it's a Friday and what has just happened, I think it would do Mr. Riddle well to spend some time away from Hogwarts. I can have them back before breakfast on Monday. Armando? It's your choice." Dippet muses for a few moments.

"I think that would be the best thing." Dippet agrees. "My floo will be open at 6:30am on Monday. Do not be late." We all gather into the fireplace and floo to Géroux Villa before stepping out of the fireplace.

"What an asshole." Mamé mutters and leads all of us to the kitchen. "I was in the making Coq du vin. I have enough for everybody if you would like some. Franҫois also made madeleines earlier. They are in the…Frigo?" She trails off, frowning.

"Fridge?" I offer as an English translation, and she nods.

"Fridge." She agrees. "Would you two like some? You both are far too skinny! Do they even feed you at Hogwarts?" I wasn't always skinny. I became thinner when I went on the run with Harry, Hermione and Ron. I can't exactly tell them that, can I?

"I'm not that skinny." I mumble in protests and Mamé gives me a look.

"I reckon if you showed me your torso, your ribs will be sticking out." She counters, and I say nothing to that. _She was right._ "Exactly. Now, you two sit down." We obey and sit next to each other at the table while Mamé and Pepé bustle around the kitchen.

"Are you even hungry?" I ask in a whisper.

"Not particularly." He answers back, quietly. "But it would be rude to decline, right? Considering we're too skinny." I roll my eyes.

"It's not exactly our fault. It could just be genetics." I point out and he frowns. "You know, possible inheritance from one of your parents."

"We didn't really learn about genetics in the Orphanage. It was a Christian establishment. Science was forbidden in all forms."

"So, you never learned about Darwin or Mendel? Hämmerling was this year, I think? I do believe The Avery-MacLeod-McCarty experiment is next year though."

"I learnt the basics about Darwin and Mendel, but they told us they were wrong." He replies.

"That's a complicated matter." I start. "Darwin was correct in his conclusion of how natural selection worked within species as was the lines of evidence in used to support the theory, but he was wrong about the mechanisms of variation among individuals. Mendel's pea pod experiments aided in the discovery of dominant and recessive genes, but this discovery only works on most sexually reproducing organisms. He could not explain patterns of inheritance from non-sexually reproducing organisms among with a few other sexually reproducing organisms. However, Darwin and Mendel both laid down the foundations of genetic research and are considered the pioneers of their time." Tom was looking at me with an intense, intrigued face. "What?" He shakes his head.

"Nothing." I narrow my eyes but Mamé and Pepé come in with plates of coq du vin before I can press him for answers.

"That's a lot of food." I murmur at my over heaped plate.

"You are too skinny." Mamé counters and sits down opposite me with a much smaller load on her plate. Tom and Pepé had similar loads on their plate as mine. "Please, dig in." We eat in silence as we devour the food. Before I knew it, my plate was empty. Damn, I can put away food. "Someone was hungry." I smile shyly at Mamé and shrug. "Thomas, Franҫois called ahead to your family with the…"

"Telephone." I finish for Mamé.

"Yes, telephone. They are expecting you to floo in around 8:30pm, so, we have just enough time for dessert." I glance at the clock – 8:11pm. "Excuse me while I get dessert. Reine, can you get the dirty dishes?" I nod and gather them up, taking them into the kitchen. I put them into soaking hot water. "After Thomas has gone, do you mind if we have a small chat later?"

"Of course, that's fine." I reply as I get four smaller plates down for dessert. I put four madeleines on each plate with a dollop of homemade cream and jam on the side. I grab two plates while Mamé grabs the other two and we walk into the dining room. I put a plate in front of Tom and myself before sitting down. We all tuck into dessert with no madeleines being left on any plate by the end. I look at the clock – 8:27pm. I collect up the dirty dishes and put them into the soaking hot water which Mamé charmed the sponge and tea towel to clean and dry. I go back to the table where everyone else was standing up.

"It was so nice to have you for dinner, Thomas." Mamé was saying as she stood up. "And we shall see you on Sunday for a late lunch at Riddle Manor. I believe the chef is preparing Beef Wellington which I haven't had for so long."

"Thank you for having me, Mr. and Mrs. Géroux." Tom replies and shakes Pepé's hand and gets a small hug from Mamé.

"Reine, could you lead Thomas to the fireplace, please?" She questions, and I nod but with a frown. Doesn't he already know where it is? Tom and I walk in silence into the living room where the fireplace was.

"Mamé being strange." I mutter as we stand in front of the fireplace.

"French thing?" He teases with a smile which makes me snort.

"I've got to stop using that excuse." I reply. "I'm giving people the wrong impression of French people."

"You are." He teases again with a bigger smile. _That smile made him seem so much more…Tom and not Voldemort_. I smile back. He hesitates for a moment before deciding to wrap his arms around me in a hug. Instinctually, I hug back without thinking. He was warm, and I felt safe. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Of course." I answer. "I'm with my great-grandparents."

"You know that's not what I meant." He murmurs into my hair.

"I'll feel better, once they're in Azkaban." I mutter back, and he tightens his arms around me.

"I want to kill them." He replies.

"I know." I say with a soothing tone. "But you can't. They deserve to suffer for the rest of their lives in Azkaban. Don't give them an easy way out."

"I won't." He whispers in my hair and he places a kiss on my head before stepping back. I pick up the floo powder and hold it out to him. He takes a handful and steps into the fireplace. "Riddle Manor." He throws the floo powder down and disappears in green flames. I walk back out into the dining room where Mamé was sitting but Pepé wasn't there.

"Franҫois has gone to his office, so, we could talk privately." Mamé explains and I nod.

"Do you think we could have this talk in my bedroom?" I ask. "I'm really tired." Mamé nods and I follow her to my bedroom.

"This will be your room until you go back to your own time." Mamé states. "Or until we go back to France."

"This is actually my room when I stay in villa on Holiday." I murmur. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Right, firstly, the backstory that I gave my son, Maurice, your grandfather, was that your father and Franҫois were cousins and we are your closest living relatives." She says, and I nod with a smile. "Secondly, what is going with you and Thomas?"

"What?" I ask in shock and wide eyes, and she gives me a sassy look.

"You two look at each other like…" She trails off with a smile. "When Franҫois and I started courting, and we couldn't believe we were actually courting."

"We're not courting." I protest with a frown.

"I didn't say you were but only the way you two look at each other." She counters with a soft smile. "The way he looks at you…"

"He's grateful." I cut in. "I gave him his family back, it's gratitude. Nothing more." She narrows her eyes before her face relaxes.

"If you say so." She agrees. "But I would say that if you were courting, it is okay. You're allowed to have feelings. He was not the same man that he was back in January and that's because of you."

"I didn't really do anything." I disagree, and she hums before leaving my room but not before giving me another pointed look. I change out of my uniform and put on a nightgown before climbing into bed and turning my lamp off. _Mamé was wrong. Completely wrong._ I frown as I mule for a few moments. _Maybe she wasn't._ I curse out loud before groaning and letting my head hit the pillow. _I'm so screwed._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: June 10th, 1943

It actually happened. The three were going to Azkaban for the rest of their lives without a chance of parole. 9 people came forward. 6 females and 3 males came forward in the week that Dippet left his door open for a private chat. They were all across different houses ranging from 4th Year to 6th Year. The people felt disgusted about what had happened and Dippet personally sought a councillor for anyone to come and talk to about what's happened or anything else on their mind. The councillor has been fully booked until the end of term with various students. It was definitely a good idea on Dippet's part. I had an appointment with the councillor on Thursday but until then I was studying for Arithmancy exam tomorrow. I had already taken Ancient Runes; Charms; Herbology; Potions and Transfiguration. I had Care of Magical Creatures; Astronomy; History of Magic and DADA in the coming week. It was fair to say that History of Magic was my worse subject, but DADA was my best subject by far.

"Still revising at 11 at night, I see?" A voice teases from behind the sofa I was sitting on. I smile. Tom.

"Yes, you can never do too much revising." I say as he sits down next to me.

"You definitely can." He replies and takes the book out of my hand before closing it. I, honest to God, pout which makes him chuckle before his expression turns neutral. "I guess you heard about the verdict then." I nod. "How are you feeling?" I ponder for a moment.

"I thought I would feel better, but I don't." I answer with a frown and Tom begins to stroke my wrist with his thumb in a soothing way.

"You won't feel better straight away." Tom states. "You shouldn't have to expect yourself to feel better anytime soon."

"But I want to feel better." I whisper, and Tom wraps an arm around my shoulders, bringing me into his side which I relax into. Since the hug, there had been more touching whenever we were around each other. Whether it was an arm as we walked to class or a peck on the cheek goodnight.

"You will feel better but with time." He murmurs into my hair. "Plus, you may feel better after speaking to that woman later in the week – Dr. Smythe."

"Maybe." I mutter with a yawn.

"You should probably rest." Tom replies. "The Arithmancy exam is at 9am tomorrow." I nod, and we stand up. We walk up the stairs where the dormitories separated by gender. I peck Tom's cheek. "Night, Tom."

"Goodnight, Reine." He replies before we part into our different dormitories. I walk to the 5th Year girls dormitories before changing into a nightgown and climbing into bed. I go to sleep with a small smile on my face.

I walk out of my last exam, DADA, with a relieved smile on my face with Eve beside me. Exams are finally over. "Hey, Eve, how did you find DADA?" Eve begins to talk rapidly about the DADA exams when Tom approaches. "Will you excuse me for a minute?" She nods, and I meet Tom halfway. "How was the exam?"

"Good, thank you." He answers. "I assume with that smile, yours went well?" I nod. "Headmaster Dippet wants to see us." I frown.

"Why?" I ask.

"No idea but it was passed onto me by Professor Merrythought." He replies as he holds out his arm which I take. I ignore the glares from every girl with a roll of my eyes.

"Seriously? You would think that the girls would stop the glaring by now." I mutter.

"Apparently, I'm just that charming." He teases, and I roll my eyes. "On a more serious note, it was flattering at first, now, it is more annoying. I keep getting approached by random girls." I feel a bit of jealousy come up which I push down.

"Most guys would love that." I deadpan with a look.

"They keep interrupting whenever I'm working or trying to get to class." He replies. "Anyway, I already have my eyes on a girl." I feel hope bloom in my chest at the way he was looking at me.

"I'm sure that she is a lucky girl." I say with a smile.

"I would wager that I'm the lucky one." He counters with smile and my smile widens. We turn right, and I frowned.

"Dippet's office was left, Tom." I state, and his smile widens.

"I know." He replies with a knowing look and I tilt my head. "I wanted to show you something without someone following us." I shake my head in amusement.

"You should have just said."

"People were listening, and I didn't want anyone to follow." He explains. "It's private."

"Okay." I reply with a shrug. We make it to the castle grounds and wander pass the lake, and into the forest. After a few minutes, he stops.

"It's just through these bushes." We begin to step through the bushes and make it to the end after a couple of moments with my eyes widening in surprise.

"It's beautiful." I whisper in awe. In the centre of the patch of grass was a pond swirling with all shades of blue, pink and purple. The trees and grass around us were a vivid green. There were fairies flying around, making colourful sparks as they go. "How did you find this place?"

"By accident in third year." Tom answers. "I've never bought anyone here. It's my own secret space."

"Thank you for bringing me here." I thank him as I turn towards him with a grin which he returns before leading me towards a blanket with a food basket on. "Beautiful scenery, food and drink. You're going to spoil me, Tom."

"That might just be my aim." I give him a look before sitting down. "I sneaked down to the kitchen and the house elves were more than delighted to give me food, so, there's a lot in there." I hide my laugh behind my cough at remembering my own experience with house elves. "There's chicken and bacon; cheese and pickle; egg cress; brie and cranberry; and ham and coleslaw sandwiches. Quiche; carrots; cucumber; and various fruits."

"That's enough to feed an entire quidditch team. Both sides." I mutter. "What is it with people trying to feed us all the time? Are we really that thin?"

"Apparently." He answers with a shrug as we begin to plate up.

"I don't think your thin, you're leaner and more muscular than anything." I mumble, and he raises an eyebrow at my confession.

"I think all those dinners at Hogwarts have finally put some meat on my bones." He replies. "What about you?" I ponder for a moment.

"I know I'm thin." I state. "I never used to be though. I had curves for days. When we went on the run in my final year, I lost a lot of weight then because we couldn't have a proper meal. Now, that's I've been at Hogwarts again, I have been able to gain some weight back but I'm nowhere near where I once was."

"I think you look radiant." Tom expresses with a calming expression and I blush.

"That's very sweet of you but not necessary to say." I say, and he frowns before wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me into his side.

"Radiant." He murmurs and places a kiss on my head, and I can't help but blush even more as I lean into his side.

"Thank you." I mumble shyly as I start eating. By the time that we finish eating, the sky is array with reds, yellows, blues and purples – indications of a sunset.

"There's something I wanted to ask you." He murmurs in my ear and I turn to face him, giving him my full attention. He was making a face that I hadn't seen before. Almost like he was nervous? "I know that school is breaking up for the summer soon, but I wanted to know if you would allow me to court you?" I release the breath that I didn't realise I was holding.

"Yes, of course." I answer with a grin and he returns his own grin before hugging me.

"Can I-." He pauses for a moment. "May I steal a kiss?"

"Always." I reply with a cheeky smile and he flashes a predatory smile at me before bringing our lips together. It was _warm_ , _wet_ and much more _softer_ than I was expecting. He rests his hands on my waist where his thumbs stroke comforting circles on my skin. I found myself gripping on to his biceps before sliding my hands up to his shoulders to hook around his neck to slide into his hair. After a few minutes, and all to soon in my opinion, he pulls back. His lips were red and swollen from all the kissing that made me want to kiss him more.

"We should probably stop before we advance anymore." He murmurs. "No matter how much I want to not stop." _Apparently, Chivalry isn't dead in this era._

"Thank you." I say and kiss his cheek in thanks. "We should head in and you have rounds to do." I gesture to the darkening sky.

"That I do." He responses and holds out his hand for me to take, lifting me onto my feet. I mutter my thanks before we pack up the basket. Tom holds the basket in his left hand and my hand in his right as we walk back up to the castle. There were older teenagers scattered across the halls, but most were in their House's dormitories. The teenagers who did see us, gawked at our hands before turning to gossip about it to their friends. It made me want to remove my hand from his grasp, but I didn't want too. His hand was soft, warm and _comforting_. We dropped off the basket with the house-elves who were delighted to see we ate everything before we arrive at Slytherin dormitories. We stay outside for a few moments. "By tomorrow, everyone will know anyway. Why hide it?"

"I'm just nervous about the constant attacks from girls that I will have to deal with." He frowns at me.

"I am going to be around a lot more, so, let them try and attack you with me around." He states, firmly. I roll my eyes, fondly. "Pureblood." The portrait swings open and we walk in. All the 5th years and upwards were still hanging around in the Slytherin communal room. The 5th and 6th year girls looked excited and happy; most of the 7th year girls looked perturbed while the boys looked indifferent. We walk to where the 5th years were gathered on the sofas and sit down. Tom releasing my hand in favour of putting his arm on the back of the sofa behind me. I lean slightly into him but not so much as to rest on him.

"Knew it." Rachel (Burke) states with an excited look.

"I think we all knew it." Michelle (Avery) points out and I stick my tongue out at them. Michelle puts her hand over her heart in fake shock before giggling. "I bet you 10 galleons by midday that everyone will know about them."

"10 galleons at dinner time everyone will know." Erica (Yaxley) chimes in.

"10 galleons that everyone knows at breakfast." Rachel adds in.

I snort at all three of their antics. "Damn, must be all that inbreeding that's made all three of you crazy." All three gape before bursting into laughing fits. I exchange a raise of an eyebrow with Tom before rolling my eyes at the three.

"You know, Reine, you're definitely not wrong." Erica says with a grin after they all stop laughing.

"Oh, yeah, so much inbreeding between families in Britain." Michelle adds in with a roll of her eyes. "It's probably better for families in mainland Europe because you're not separated by water." I think back to my mother, Georgine Géroux. Her surname was originally _Black_. Her grandfather, Regulus Black I (Born in 1906), died a couple of years after she was born. He named his son, my grandfather, Cade Black. Luckily, my grandmother, Stela Vasilescu, was from a Romanian Pureblood family than a British Pureblood family. There was also my great-grandmother's, Delphine Géroux, paternal grandparents who were first cousins.

"You would think that." I muse. "But, my mother's paternal grandparents are first cousins. Cyprien and Maylis Lemaire. She didn't actually need to change her surname either."

"Could be worse, my parents are actually first cousins." Erica points out and I scrunch up my nose. "Yeah, tell me about it, they're trying to push me into a marriage with my first cousin – Jack Rosier. He graduated last year and to be blunt, he's an asshole."

"My parents are doing the same thing. Both of my parents' parents are first cousins. Luckily, my parents aren't but they want me to marry Richard Burke – my second cousin who is starting Hogwarts next year." Rach chimes in. "Not to mention Michelle's one." Michelle rolls her eyes.

"My entire family, aside from me, want me to marry my half-uncle." I lean back in complete horror and Tom takes the opportunity to wrap his arm around my shoulder, keeping me against him. I shake my head fondly and lean more into him, he tightens his arm around my shoulder. "My uncle's about 10 years older than me and it's just awkward because we both agree that we don't want to marry each other. He's my uncle for god's sake."

"I'm at a loss for words." I state. "What parent would allow their sibling to marry their child?"

"Mine, apparently." Michelle grumbles. "But if my entire family do push forward on the marriage to my uncle then we have agreed to try and make it work but we won't have biological kids together. We are both certain on that. Adopting kids will be easier."

"You are the lucky one, Reine." Rach drawls, getting my attention from my own erratic thoughts. "You're not burdened by your parents forcing you into a loveless, cousin marriage. Be thankful."

"I am." I murmur back, my head still filled with thoughts. "So thankful." We continue to talk and by the time Tom has to do his rounds, we're practically falling asleep.

"Ladies, I think it's time for bed." Tom says with amusement. "You've all had exhausting weeks of exams." The girls murmur in agreement, say goodnight before heading upstairs. I move to get up, but Tom pulls me more firmly against him.

"Tom, you have rounds." I chide with gentle amusement and his brow furrows.

"I want to stay like this though." He, honest to god, pouts and I pat his bicep.

"Come on, you have too." I reply, and he groans before getting up, and hugging me properly. "Goodnight, Tom."

"Goodnight, sweetheart." He murmurs back in a low tone which definitely didn't make my heart melt. Nope. I kiss his cheek, and we part ways as I move up the stairs and into the girl's dormitories. As I expected, the girls were waiting up for me. They all squeal out in excitement.

"Tell!" Oh, bloody hell.

July 3rd, 1943

The entire school is in flurry of returning home for the summer today. I was making sure I had everything packed. Slippers – check. Books – check. Toiletries – check. Tom's non-school blazer – check. Actually, I might wear that with my skirt and blouse. Unlike back in 1998, everyday skirts were positioned just below the knee. I put on my emerald green skirt and button up my off-white blouse. I buckle the slim belt around my waist and slip on my slightly heeled court shoes. Even though it was the start of July, it was still slightly chilly today. I put on the blazer and sigh at the warmth. I fold up my school uniform and put it in my suitcase before shutting it. I roll up the sleeves as they were too long before levitating my suitcase down the stairs and putting it on the pile outside Slytherin common room where Tom was waiting. "Morning, beautiful." He brings his head down and pecks me on the lips. _So many terms of endearment._

"Morning." I murmur shyly against his lips. Rachel won the bet as literally everyone knew by breakfast and couldn't keep their eyes to themselves – much to our exasperation. I feel his arms snake around my waist and he pulls me flush against him. My face blushes with embarrassment and I tuck my face into his chest.

"Hey, don't hide now." He chides, gently, and I pull my face away with a sigh. "There is literally no one around."

"Maybe I just like your chest." I sass him, and he smirks.

"We both already knew that." He responses with a fond look. "Come on, breakfast is over in an hour and we both need food." We link hands and make our way into the hall. A few eyes lingered as we sat down next to each other, but most were over it. Tom pours coffee into both our mugs while I put some scrambled egg, 3 bacon rashes; and a couple of slices of toast on his plate while I grab a few slices of toasts for myself and coat them with strawberry jam. Tom gives me a pointed look, so, I add a few bacon rashes to my plate. I eat and drink everything in time as people start to file out of the great hall. Tom grabs our satchels, swinging them over his shoulder but grabbing my hand. We make our way to the carriages where the Thestrals pull them. I've been able to see them since 5th Year. They are skeletal looking creatures but have such a lovely personality. Tom and I pile into a carriage with Michelle, Rachel, Rosier and Lestrange. I barely hold in the shiver of sitting near a Lestrange. I know that Bellatrix was born a Black, but the surname still gave me the chills. Tom notices this and ops to sit between Lestrange and myself. We all make small talk as the carriage moves us towards the station.

"I always wondered how they make the carriages move. Like, what specific spells." Rosier muses from where he sits, opposite Lestrange.

"It's not a spell." I blurt before my brain can catch up with me and everyone turns to look at me. _Bloody hell._ "Thestrals pull the carriages."

"I think your sight needs to be checked." Rosier replies. "Nothing is pulling the carriages."

"Because they're invisible creatures." I protest. "We haven't studied them because they are considered dark creatures due to only people who have seen death can see them."

"Can you see them?" Rosier asks.

"No." I lie as I squeeze Tom's hand tightly. "I just read. A lot." Tom squeezes his hand back.

"You two are definitely a match made in the stars then." Michelle chimes in with a laugh.

"Nothing wrong with reading, Michelle." Rach argues. "There's a reason why those two are at the top in our year."

"Because generations of inbreeding have not made them stupid." Michelle deadpans and Rach snorts.

"True." She agrees. Thankfully, the Thestrals stop at the moment because we were at the station, so, we all piled off and onto the busy train. Apparently, the Slytherins normally sat near the end of the train, so, we grab a cabin in the second to last train cart. Unfortunately, Tom had to do rounds with Erica, so, I was left alone with the girls who were talking about their crushes and bitching about their intendeds. To be honest, all this talk was making me nauseous. Actually, really nauseous. I quickly move out of the cabin and to the toilet where I hurl into it. Someone knocks on the door.

"Reine! Are you alright?" Rach voices from the other side.

"No, I just came over all nauseous." I answer and open the door to let her in before sitting back down on the floor.

"Are you pregnant?" Rach whispers in a question and I gape at her bluntness before answering.

"No. I've never had sex. I'm a virgin."

"Okay because then I would lecture you to the grave." Rach replies. "Were you filling nauseous this morning?"

"No." I reply. "It was when you were talking about crushes and intendeds that I had to puke." She frowns.

"What were you thinking of?" Rach questions.

"Nothing really." I response. "Just how I wanted Tom to be there and not doing rounds."

"Ah, I think you puked at the thought of loving someone."

"What?" I force out in shock.

"Sorry, let me rephrase that." She states with a frown. "You're scared because you love Tom and you don't know what to do."

"Can you even love someone into not even a month-old relationship?" I ask.

"It doesn't depend on the relationship but how long you've liked them for which I reckon was at most late February, early March." Rach answers. "Crushes last for under 3 months, anything over it – you're falling head over heels for that person."

"Oh, shit." I curse as all the thoughts swirl around my head. Beginning our relationship with playful flirting; Tom being more protective than a friend for months; the consistent arm jabs or elbow links turning into cheek pecks and holding hands; Tom smiling more than he's ever done; terms of endearment…the picnic and our first kiss… "I'm in love with Tom Marvolo Riddle?"

"Yes, you are." Rach states.

"What am I meant to do?" I ask in a panic. "You're not meant to be in love with someone 3 weeks into a relationship."

"Your heart knows what it wants." Rach soothes. "Better yet, who it wants. You don't have to say it out loud at first. You can just show with actions."

"I can't have…sex…" I trail off. "I still have nightmares about…"

"Don't worry, there are more ways to show love than having sex." Rach soothes. "From what I can see, you're doing it already. You two are basically acting like a married couple."

"Okay." I murmur in thought.

"So, how about we go back out there and change the subject of the conversation."

"Alright." I mutter and wash my hands and rinse my mouth out before walking back out into the train cart's hallway. We were about to walk back into the cabin when Tom came into the train carriage from another carriage. Tom smiles when he sees me but frowns after examining my pale face.

"Are you alright?" He asks as he caresses my cheek with his thumb.

"She had a sick turn but she's feeling better now." Rach explains for me and Tom nods with a furrow of his brows.

"Do you mind if I borrow my girl for a while?"

"Be our guest." Rach answers with a gesture to get going. Tom wraps an arm around my waist and I lean into his side before walking towards an empty cabin at the end of the carriage. Tom sits with his legs crossed and I lay my head against his leg where he fiddles with my hair.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I hmm back with a nod of my head, feeling sleepy all after being sick and talking to Rach. "Go to sleep, baby. I'll be right here when you wake up." I nod and find myself drifting off with the caressing of fingers through my hair.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: July 17th, 1943

My grandfather concluded who I was in about a week of living with each other. For a 9-year-old, he's very perceptive and it didn't creep him out which was even creepier. He's produced a list of 20 people who could be my grandmother on a list and Freya Hass is on the list. I threw that piece of paper in the fire, much to his bemusement. I tell him to just wait for fate to run its course to which he sighs before running off to make another list. I roll my eyes and curl back into the sofa under my blanket in the study to read my book – The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Tom and his family were coming over today as our guests for the next week. I continue to read.

" _But Hester Prynne, with a mind of native courage and activity, and for so long a period not merely estranged, but outlawed, from society, had habituated herself to such latitude of speculation as was altogether foreign to the clergyman…"_

"Reine…" A familiar voice trails off as their hand strokes my cheek. "Wake up." I open my eyes to the smiling expression of Tom and I smile.

"Hello, Handsome." I greet with a peck to the lips and he gathers me up into a hug.

"Hello, beautiful." He replies as I hug him back. "A little sleepy?" I nod with a tired smile.

"I couldn't get to sleep last night, so, I've been in the study since 2am maybe?" I answer, looking at the clock. 1pm. "Maurice was in here around 11am and I fell asleep around then – reading The Scarlet Letter. I'm almost done." I put the bookmark in the book and place it on the table. "How's your summer being so far?" Tom sits beside me and puts my feet in his lap.

"Good, actually." Tom starts. "It's nice to spend time with my actual family." He pauses for a moment. "Even if they're not wizards." I roll my eyes at that.

"Psychopath." I say with a teasing tone which he rolls his eyes at.

"But I'm your psychopath." He points out which I grin at. Mama pokes her head through.

"Come on, you two." Mama states. "We are having Arròs al forn for lunch. I'll even let you have a glass of Tempranillo from Utiel-Requena."

"Tough for say no to that." I swing my legs on the floor and stand up. Tom stands up as I fold the blanket, placing it back on the sofa. Tom keeps his hand on my lower back as Mama leads us to the dining room. I break away to greet with Riddles with hugs before sitting down on the chair that Tom pulled out for me. Tom sits next to me while Maurice sits on the other side of me. We all make small talk and Mrs. Riddle talked about courting Mr. Riddle – and how it was similar to Tom and me – making me blush quite a bit and even turned my hair pink from embarrassment. That hadn't happened since I was 11 and I started my period during the night. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall had to talk to me quite bluntly. To be fair, I thought I was dying. The Riddles were looking at me in shock. Tom who was biting his lip to keep his laughter in. _So much help._

"Did you accidentally turn your hair pink, dear?" Mrs. Riddle says with wide eyes. _Do I introduce or not introduce the word Metamorphmagus to their vocabulary?_

"I didn't mean to turn my hair pink, but I do have the ability to change appearance. In the wizarding world, it's called a Metamorphmagus but it's a very rare ability to have. It runs in born Géroux's. Like Maurice and Papa." Maurice changes his hair to green and Papa changes his hair to purple.

"And it's called a Metamorphmagus?" Tom's father asks, and I nod. "So, you said you could change your appearance? Were you born how you look now?"

"Technically, I was born with light blue and dark blue streaked hair, but I changed it to match my mama's when I had a sense of awareness." I explain. "I haven't personally changed my appearance aside from that."

"I was the same." Papa adds in. "Light blue and dark blue streaked hair, but I changed it to match my father's instead. An auburn colour."

"I was born with emerald green with the ends of my hair being violet." Maurice chimes in. "I changed it to match mama's as well."

"That's a very intriguing ability." Tom's grandfather starts. "What else can you do?" After asking that, we try to explain Metamorphmagus which then led to us talking about animagi then werewolves then blood maledictions then languages.

"So, what you're saying is – is that the Géroux family are descended from the original Metamorphmagus, so, all born Géroux's are Metamorphmagus. Reine, has the ability to turn into a wolf because she's an Animagus and that is a skill that can be learnt. Reine is not a werewolf nor is any other Géroux." Mr. Riddle summarises.

"Yes." We all agree around the table.

"And Tom has the ability to speak Parseltongue which is a language that you talk to serpents with." Mrs. Riddle begins. "It's an ability you have to be born with and cannot learn." I nod. "And you're a Parselmouth because your mother was one as she was descended from Salazar Slytherin – a famous Parselmouth and founder of Slytherin House. Hence, the serpent crest."

"Yes." Tom replies.

"That's…wow. I'm speechless." Tom's father states. "In a good way. A lot of info to take in but it's…for a lack of a better term…magical." We all chuckle.

As it was a lovely day, we decide to all go to the beach in the afternoon. I walk into my bedroom and change into my swimwear. Swimwear in the 1943 was conservative compared to swimwear in the 1990's. My swimwear was a high waisted polka dot two piece. I put on a light blue dress, sunglasses and some brown sandals before heading downstairs. After everyone was at the front door, we set off to the beach. In 5 minutes, we had umbrellas and towels set up. I took off my sandals to feel the warm sand beneath my feet before sitting on a towel. "Come on, dear. Off with the dress, us ladies are going swimming." I shake my head, fondly before standing up and taking off my blue dress. I follow Mamé and Mary – Mrs. Riddle insisted on it – and walking into the water. I had waded into the water just to under my bust when Tom joins us in the water. He was wearing red swim shorts and nothing else. I bite my lip as I not so discreetly check him out. His whole body was a lot more defined then it was in January. A lot more. I know that I had gained weight as my bra size increased from a 28E to a 32E (I've kept and multiplied my bras from the future) – meaning I've gained more in my breasts as well as my circumference. My hip and butt size have also gotten bigger, I've made my jeans go to a UK Size 12 (US Size 8) than the original UK Size 6 (US Size 2) when I stole them on the run. My waist has gained a couple of inches, but I still have an hourglass figure. No wonder I was getting a lot of leering looks from men and sneers from women. I shudder. It was creepy. Tom walks through the water and stands beside me. "What's wrong?" As he grabs a hold of my hand and squeezes.

"I don't like the looks that I'm getting from people." He looks over at the group of men and women that I point my head too.

"I didn't even think to bring my wand." He says as he looks back at me.

"No." I reply, firmly.

"But-." He protests but I cut him off with a look.

"No, Mi psicópata."

"Did you just call me a psychopath in Spanish?" He asks with furrowed brow.

"No, _my_ psychopath." I correct with a grin before splashing him in the face and all hell broke loose. We were splashing each other with water, continuously. Time went by as we continued to play water games and we were called out the water as everyone was about to leave. We sigh but get out the water and walk over to where our families were. We dry off and I put on my light blue dress again before we walk off home. Once we get home, we all shower in different bathrooms. My bedroom had an ensuite as it did for everyone's rooms. After finishing in the shower, I style my hair into a plait and put on pink silk pyjama top and bottoms before putting on my dressing gown. It was around 8 anyway. I move through the halls and go into the library, shutting the door behind me. I grab my book from the table and sit down on the sofa with the blanket, curling my legs under me. For a few minutes I read in silence until someone opens the door and I lift my head up – Tom. He was also in a pyjamas. "Hey."

"Hey." He murmurs back and walks over, lifting my legs up and sitting down before placing my legs over his lap. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me towards him. I rest my head on his shoulder. "I've been doing some mulling over the past 2 weeks and I think I need to confess something." I look at him with a questioning look. "I heard you on the train. When you were in the bathroom with Burke." I widen my eyes and I move to get up, but his arm tightens, so, I decide to burrow my head into his neck and groan. He places a finger under my chin and lifts up my head before pecking my lips. "Don't hide from me." His dark eyes were looking into my hazel ones.

"How much did you hear?" I ask, curiously.

"Everything." He admits. "I was returning from my rounds when I saw you run off to the bathroom with Burke not far behind you, so, I was going to knock when you started talking." I frown. "Don't be mad, I was genuinely concerned for your health."

"I know." I soothe with a gentle caress of his cheek.

"I had this speech all planned out." I gesture for him to continue as I rest my head on his shoulder and place my hand across his torso, fidgeting with his shirt. "Reine, I have never experienced love or kindness either until you stepped into my life. I was raised in an Orphanage with an old woman who didn't like me, an abusive janitor and children who bullied me to no end. I became bitter, started acting out around the age of 5 – getting into fights and stealing from people. When I was 8, something happened in a cave with Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop. They were my worse bullies. I used a bout of accidentally magic and made them see things that were horrific. After that, it stopped anyone approaching me in the Orphanage – adult and child alike. I didn't get bullied or beaten anymore. Then, in the July after I turned 11, Dumbledore visited me which I know you know the story."

"I do." I agree. "Looked at a pensive with the memory that he left behind." Tom nods in understanding.

"When September 1st came round, I walked half way across London to King's Cross and barely made it too the train but did. As you know, I was sorted into Slytherin. For the first few months, I was bullied severely by the 3rd and 4th year Slytherins as you know that Riddle isn't a pureblood name. It stopped after I beat a 4th Year Slytherin in a duel in my first year. Ever since then, no one touched me, just ignored me which is better than before. It was around the start of 5th Year that I started the _Knights of Walpurgis_ but after meeting my actual family – I disbanded it. Most were ambivalent about the group, but a few were very loyal and disappointed in the disbanding of it."

"Malfoy." I sum up as I get a handful of his shirt in my clenched fists. It always comes back to Malfoy. Tom tightens his arm even more and pulls me into his lap and I lay my head on his chest as he brings his left arm round to hug me closer.

"What I wanted to say is that after everything that's happened – all the kindness you've shown me, despite my less than stellar record – how could I not have fallen for you?" I bring my head up to look at him with shock. "With all my heart and my _complete_ soul, I love you." I release my held breath and try not to get emotional.

"I love you too." I reply with a grin and pull him in for a kiss. I feel my tense shoulders relax as his lips press against mine. I sigh at the familiar feel of his lips. He strokes his hand up and down my calf as I rest my hand on back of his hair – threading my fingers through his hair – with my other hand resting on his chest. I nibble his lip as we continue to kiss – tasting a hint of mint and coconut from our drinks earlier. He nibbles my lip back, making me squirm and open my mouth as I let out a tiny moan. His tongue slides against mine with unhurried strokes as he keeps caressing my calf and back. I hummed with excitement before perking my head up as I hear voices down the hall. "People." Quickly, I scramble to sit next to Tom rather than on and place a blanket over us before picking up a book. Tom throws an arm over the sofa behind my back as we both pretend to read the book. The door opens, and Mamé and Mary.

"Ah, I wondered where you two had gone off too." Mamé states with worry. "Should've just checked the library first hand. You love reading."

"Sorry to worry you, Mama." I apologise with a sheepish smile. "It is a fascinating book."

"What is the book?" Mary asks with interest.

"The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne." Tom answers with a smile.

"Ah, I remember reading it when I was younger, it was a complex book but a good read." Mamé replies. "Now, to the business why we're here."

"Your relationship." Mary continues, and I sit straighter with a frown as does Tom. "We all completely approve. However, we're not that old."

"You two have been sneaking off from time to time." Mamé explains. "The men haven't noticed. God, they don't notice anything, but we have." She pauses. "We just want to set a few ground rules whenever you stay in the same house.

"Firstly, no sex." I widen my eyes at Mary's bluntness. "At least not until you're an adult."

"I'm-we're-not…" I stumble for words and just trail off in surprise. Mary smiles kindly.

"We know." She pats my hand in comfort. "But you are at the very least snogging roundabout the house. Most likely a couple of minutes ago, considering both your lips are swollen and you were both flushed when we came in."

"Number two, you are allowed in each other's bedroom with the door open and only between 8am and 10pm."

"What if one of us, lets say, has a nightmare during the night and needs to see the other?" Tom questions.

"You come and see either Mary or I, and we will allow it." Mamé answers. "But only with the door open and on top of the covers." Tom and I nod.

"Thirdly, Delphine and I aren't quite as conservative as our husbands but please keep public displays of affection to hand holding, hugs and kisses on the cheek. Kissing on the lips should be reserved to married couples in public." I forgotten how conservative that it was in the 1940s.

"Fourthly, if you want to seek off once in a little while for some alone time – we agree that we are both alright with that." Mary continues. "You are both intelligent adolescents. If _it_ happens then I know you will at least protect yourselves. There's the condom which protects against VD as well as pregnancy and Delphine tells me there is a conceptive potion and spell that protects against VD and pregnancy which is more effective." I nod, wordlessly. Birth control wasn't a thing until the 1960s. I'm going to have to somehow replicate the remaining ones I have. "I think that we have covered all areas?"

"I agree." Mamé answers. "Dinner is in 1 hour. We're having baeckeoffe and spätzle." They both smile at us and walk out the room, leaving the door ajar.

"Did that just happen?" I ask with wide eyes.

"It did." He murmurs, distractedly.

"Are you alright?" I question as I look at him. "They didn't freak you out, did they?" He shakes his head.

"No, no." He insists as he brings his arm around my waist, pulling me close. "The women in our families are thinking ahead for us and I would be immature if I did not take what they said seriously." My chest explodes with happiness and I full out grin before I pounce on him. Tom hums in surprise before reaching out to steady me at the waist before kissing back. He tangles his hand into my hair and tilts my head slightly to press soft kisses along my exposed throat. I shiver and dig my nails into his biceps when he kisses a sensitive area between my throat and collarbone. He gently sucks the sensitive spot for a few moments before licking the tender flesh and pecking his way back up my throat; pulling me in for a deep kiss. He pulls back and circles his thumb on my waist in a soothing manner. "Was that okay? Did I go too far?"

"No, no, no." I answer with a smile. "That was perfect." I stroke my thumb over his cheekbone. "Thank you for caring." I wrap my arms around his neck and he nuzzles into my neck.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity." He murmurs back as he hugs me tighter to him. "Thank you for loving me." I don't say anything but hug him tighter and we stay like that for the next hour.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: September 1st, 1943

After making it through travelling checks in Spain and France, I arrive in the Leaky Cauldron before flooing to King's Cross Station. I step out of the green flames and drag my suitcase over to the conductor who puts it all in the luggage compartment. I keep my satchel on me as I go to the back of the train to where the Slytherin's all went. I spot my friends in a compartment and walk in. "Hello, ladies. How was summer?" Everyone looked quite glum. "Oh, no. What happened?"

"Walburga (Black), Rose (Burke), Melania (Rosier), Erica (Yaxley) and I were all officially engaged over the summer." Michelle (Avery) answers with a sad look. "Walburga's engaged to her second cousin – Orion Black; Rose is marrying Jack Rosier – Erica's cousin; Melania's marrying Jonas Flint; Erica's engaged to Michael MacMillan and I'm engaged to my uncle."

"That's…I'm speechless." I state. "Your family are actually going through with it?"

"Yeah." Michelle replies.

"I'm so sorry." I apologise as I hug her.

"At least he and I have an understanding of we will only have to consummate the marriage to make it legal then we won't have to have sex again."

"But still, to have sex with your uncle…" Rachel (Burke) trails off.

"I know." Michelle says, scrunching her nose in disgust. "But I can't get out of it unless..."

"Unless?" I ask.

"My uncle dies." Michelle finishes. "But I'm not down with murdering someone."

"Or you could leave the family fold." I point out.

"Yes, but I could never speak to my family again." Michelle protests.

"You could find a pure-blood wizard in mainland Europe to appease them for not marrying your pre-blood uncle." I counter.

"I could." She looks deep in thought. "Do you know any pureblood families in mainland Europe?"

"Plenty." I answer. "Mainland Europe has over 100 at least. It gives you at least 4 times the amount that you can choose from in the 'Sacred Twenty-Eight'."

"Do you know any families personally?" She asks.

"My parents do." I answer. "I'll send them a letter. See if anyone is of an appropriate age who would like to meet you. Any preferences?" She shakes her head.

"No, no. Well, I would like to be closer to home but other than that, I have no preferences as long as they're pure-blood to appease my parents."

"I will cross off Eastern Europe and the Balkans then." I say with a smile as I begin to write a letter to my parents.

"Thank you, Reine." Michelle states. "You're a good friend."

"Is there any chance you can do the same for me?" Rach asks next to me.

"And me!" Erica adds in.

"Sure." I reply as I add in Rach's and Erica's name to the letter. "Again, any preferences?"

"No, my family are awful!" Erica chimes in. "As far away as possible."

"Not too far but not too close either." Rach answers.

"So, Western and Northern Europe for Michelle; Central Europe and Southern Europe for Rachel; and Eastern Europe and South Eastern Europe for Erica. Or even further to East Asia, maybe, Erica?"

"I would but my parents are racist." Erica mumbles with an angry look. "You have no idea how difficult it is to not punch them in the face."

"I'll also make sure the families, or at least the potential partners, are not prejudice in any way." I add in, much to their relief.

 _Chère Mama,_

 _Avez-vous envie de faire des marieurs? Mes amis de l'école sont forcés par leur famille à un mariage arrangé sans amour avec un pur sang britannique. Y a-t-il une chance que vous trouviez des célibataires et des jeunes célibataires que mes amis pourraient rencontrer?_

 _Erica voudrait un mec d'Europe de l'Est car elle veut être loin de chez elle. Rachel voudrait un homme quelque part en Europe centrale ou méridionale. Michelle aimerait être plus proche de chez elle en Europe occidentale._

 _J'attends de tes Nouvelles._

 _Je t'aime,_

 _Reine xxx_

I give my letter to Rachel's owl. "This is going to my villa in Spain. The one you've visited before." The owl blinks and I open the window, letting it out. "Wait, Michelle, shouldn't you be in the prefect cabin?" Michelle shakes her head.

"Nah, Head Boy and girl are relaxed this year. We have to go half an hour into the journey." Michelle explains. "Plenty of time for you to see Tom." Michelle winks. "How are you and Tom?"

"Excellent." I answer with a grin. "We said the 'I Love you' at the start of summer." The girls squeal in excitement.

"And how was it with him staying at yours for some of the summer?" Rachel asks.

"Good, we had dinners, went to the beach, maybe a little snog or two in the library." The girls giggle as they prod me for answers as to how it was. "Fantastic." There was a knock on the door and Tom peeks his head in.

"Hello, Ladies, might I steal Reine for an hour?" He asks and they all nod with their consent. I take Tom's hand and we walk into a different compartment on the carriage. Tom sits down and I sit down next to him and lean against him when Tom wraps an arm around me. "It's been two weeks too long since I've seen you."

"It's only been two weeks." I protest with a fond look.

"Too long." He counters before kissing me. I melt into the kiss as caresses my back. I silently spell the compartment to not emit a sound and for people to think that the compartment was full, and to lock the door. "Hmm, what did you just do?"

"The muffliato charm and a charm to the windows that makes people think that the inside is full of people when it is only us two." I explain. "I've also locked the door." He brings me in for another deep kiss.

"Have I ever told you that I absolutely love when you explain things?" He asks and I raise an eyebrow.

"No, actually, you haven't." I answer with a glint in my eye. "It's just shameful that you haven't."

"Agreed." He murmurs as he places me on his lap. "Let me make it up to you." He dives in and kisses me until I'm completely breathless. The thing about kissing Tom is that it always feels new and fresh. It doesn't feel as though I've kissed him before even though I have. He kisses and nibbles down the column of my throat and rolls my turtleneck down to reach my sensitive spot on my throat. He gently sucks at my flesh, creating a zing of pleasure in my lower region, applying a slight pressure with his teeth, making me gasp, before he places a few licks and kisses on the spot before he nibbles back up my throat to kiss me again. And what a good bloody kiss it was.

"Can I try?" I question, looking at him. He all but groans at my suggestion.

"Be my guest." He replies and I bring him on for a deep before I interchange between pecks and nips as I make my way down his throat. He tightens his hands on my hips as I nip into a sensitive spot of flesh on the base of his throat. I tenderly suck the spot for several seconds before lightly applying my teeth to the equation. I remain like that for another several seconds before letting go and licking the bruise softly before kissing back up to his mouth. Breaking away from the kiss, we both pant heavily. I place my head on his shoulder.

"How was that?" I murmur.

"We're definitely doing that again." He replies as he wraps his arms around my back in a hug.

"You know, you have to go to the Prefects compartment soon then do your rounds." I point out as I don't move from where I am.

"I can just say that I was delayed by mon amour." He counters and I laugh.

"I don't think the Head Boy and Girl would accept that." I protest. "Better yet, the female prefects won't accept that."

"I couldn't care less." He states. "I only want you." He nuzzles my neck. "I don't like the way that the male prefects look at you. Or any of the male students who look at you."

"I don't like it either." I admit with a grimace. "Same with you and the female population of Hogwarts." I pause. "You're mine."

"Always." He rumbles back with a barely contained growl. "And you're mine."

"Always." I repeat back to him and he practically purrs at that. "Mon psychopathe."

"Mon petit loup." He replies. Tom had been learning French over the summer and was becoming pretty good at it. So, because I've been calling him 'my psychopath' in mostly French, he's taken to calling me 'Mon petit loup' which means 'My little wolf'. A reference to my animagus and the crest of the Géroux family. Coincidentally, Géroux derives from the name Gerulf which means 'spear wolf'. "Are you sure that I can't maim them for looking at you?"

"No, you can't." I say. "Or I would have to maim everyone for looking at you."

"Honestly, I think that would be totally gorgeous site." He mumbles back and I cuff his head, making him grumble. "Fine."

"Plus, they're only _looking_." I emphasis the last word. "If it went further than that, I can assure you that I would be the one maiming before you even got a chance." I had been taking self-defence training over the summer with a few other witches in the area.

"That's my girl." He murmurs. "Leave a few for me, would you?"

"Only if you're next to me." I tease. "If not, no maiming for you."

"I guess I'm gonna have to stick close to you for the rest of Hogwarts."

"I'm pretty sure that you were planning on doing that anyway."

"I was but now, you won't get a break."

"Hmm, comfortable silences during studying, holding your hand, snogging behind drapery and statues." I list off. "You're making it sound bad."

"When you put it like that…" He trails off, leaning back to give me a grin with all his teeth showing. "Are you enthralled for 6th year?" He teases and I frown. "What's wrong?"

"Before I travelled here, the future had Albus Dumbledore dying at the hands of Death Eaters during the end of my 6th year." I explain as I lay my head in the junction of his neck to shoulder. "I did take my exams, but I never got my results because by then, Lord Voldemort had taken over the Ministry."

"What happens now that the future is changed?" Tom asks.

"Well, 'Tantum Mundi', that's the pure-blood supremacy organisation storms Hogwarts at the end of my 6th year and they kill a few younger students, and we all had to go underground including Dumbledore. Only the Pure-Bloods and Half-Bloods were allowed to remain at Hogwarts. I went underground with my family as I was one of the main rebels along with Harry, Hermione and Ron. I didn't get my results either." I frown. "I probably could've got them once the battle was over, but I had no time too."

"So, essentially, you would be taking your exams a 3rd time and you're worried that something will happen between your exams and getting your results as it has done in the past." Tom sums up and I nod. "Okay, well, the only thing at large is Grindelwald. Does Dumbledore still defeat him in your new future?" I nod. "Then I promise, Reine Géroux, that I will make sure nothing happens to you. Ever. Including during the summer." I kiss his collarbone in thanks. "I would've said your middle name, but I seem to be at a disadvantage because you never told me it." I giggle. "What so funny, Miss. Géroux?"

"Reine is my middle name." I answer with mirth as I lean back to face him.

"How am I just finding out about this?" Tom asks with a frown and I shrug.

"I never really thought about it, to be honest." I reply with a furrowed brow. "I couldn't exactly go by my first name, so, I went with my middle name."

"What is your first name then?"

"Céleste." I answer.

"Céleste." He tries it on his tongue, and I scrunch my nose up.

"I like it better when you say Reine." I state and he snorts.

"I know you as Reine, I don't think I can change your name this far down the line." He agrees and I smile and peck his cheek.

"Thank you." I murmur and he does a smile that makes me all gooey inside. "You know, you should probably go to the Prefect compartment." He buries his head into my shoulder.

"I want to stay with you." I run my hands through his hair.

"You have to go, Tom." I protest as I lean back. "I'll be with my friends who I didn't get to see over the summer." Tom, honest to God, pouts. "Come see me when you've done your rounds for a while." Tom groans and I stand up, so, he could stand up. I take undo all the spells to the compartment and open the door, stepping out. Tom steps in front of me and wraps me up in a hug with a peck on the cheek.

"I'll see you later." He drops his tone down an octave which makes me shiver and him smirk.

"Later, mon psychopathe." I step back and wink before sauntering off in the other direction. I could feel Tom's gaze on me as I went which made me smirk. I step into the compartment where my friends were and sit down. "Hello again, Ladies." I sit down where I originally was. "So, what's been happening for the past hour for you?"

"Just talking about our future potential matches and our hopes." Michelle answers. "I don't think I need to ask what you've been doing." She points at my unrolled turtleneck and my hickey. _Dammit, Tom._

"In my defence, we've only gone this far, and he has one too match." I point to my hickey. "Tom and I are not ready for going further than this. He's being an utter and complete gentleman."

"Good." Rachel states. "We wouldn't want it any other way." They still looked all worried.

"My mama will be quick with her replies." I say to their worried faces. "She will only choose the best wizards for you. From the best families who are known for being kind, not abusive." Sighs of relief cross the compartment and I smile. I think everything is going to be fine this year.

Tom popped in and out several times to see me before we got to Hogsmeade Station at 6pm. We all clamber out of the train and into the carriages pulled by Thestrals. Tom sits beside me. "Tom! Where are you going? Come beside by us!" A girl shouts from the carriage behind us and Tom rolls his eyes.

"No, thank you." He replies, politely. "I'm quite content to sit next to my girlfriend." There were outraged gasps coming from the carriage behind us. _Why won't the carriage just move?_

"Are you sure?" A voice like honey calls from the carriage and I look at them. Light brown hair; green eyes; light olive tone; beautiful. But there was something about her…

"I'm quite sure." He insists and, thankfully, the carriage starts to move.

"How did you do that?" I ask with wide eyes.

"Do what?" He replies with a frown.

"Rejected a Veela using her powers?" I question and he raises an eyebrow.

"She was a Veela?" He asks and I nod. "I'm not sure. I mean, I know my own mind and there is no where I'd rather be than with you." The girls make 'Aww' sounds in the carriage and I roll my eyes at my friends.

"How did you know she was Veela?" Erica questions. _Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour._

"I had a friend who was a few years older than me at Beauxbatons." I lie. "She was a Veela. She told me how to suss out a Veela in a crowd. It's quite useful." I turn to Tom. "Her powers didn't work on you for whatever reason therefore she must not be a full Veela or you wouldn't be with us. At most, I think she might be ½ or ¼ Veela." I turn to scan the groups. "The males of Hogwarts don't know what hit them."

"Here I thought we would have another boring year at Hogwarts." Michelle comments and we all chuckle as the carriage comes to a stop. We make our way up the castle steps and into the Great Hall, sitting down in the middle of the table. I was seated between Tom and Rachel as we watch the first years come in along with the additional of the Veela from earlier and a male who could be her twin? Bloody hell, there's two Veelas. The first years were sorted first before the Veelas.

"We have two additional exchange students with us who will be completing their final year of education with us." Dippet announces before sitting back down.

"Josette Labelle." Dumbledore calls out and the female Veela walks up. After a minute, it called out 'Slytherin'. Basically, all the males clapped victoriously apart from Tom. I politely clapped. She sat at the end of the table with Walburga but not before smirking at me. "Matthias Labelle." The brother, the other Veela walk ups to the sorting hat with a smirk. He is also sorted into 'Slytherin'. Tom, Michelle, Rachel, Erica and I were the only ones who didn't clap. Matthias sits by his sister but not before winking at me which Tom growls at and I grab his hand, giving it a squeeze. I lean into him as he wraps an arm around me to pull me close.

"I don't like this." Erica comments from in front of me, looking at them. "They definitely have it out for you two."

"How so?" I ask, curiously.

"Well, the sister is trying her best to get Tom's attention while her brother is doing his best to get your attention." Erica explains. "I'm pretty sure that they want you to break up, so, they can have both of you to themselves."

"But why?" Michelle asks. "They don't even know each other."

"No idea." Erica answers. "But they're only here for 1 year, what's the worst that could happen?" Tom and I exchange looks and look over at the twins who were smirking at us. _We're so screwed._


End file.
